Letters to Winter
by Mallobaude
Summary: It had started as a simple bet. Train the boy in order to prove her own superiority over her peers. It had all been going so well for Weiss. So how was it that Jaune became so entangled in her personal life, and she in his? And why did he seem to be the only person who understood just what she was running away from? Cover art by Gabecebro.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:** So this is my first RWBY fic. Hopefully it goes well. I'm going to attempt to try and realistically develop relationships as well as really drive home character and plot development. So things like two people falling in love instantly in chapter 1 won't be happening. I am going to devote a fair amount of time in the first few chapters getting inside the character's heads, establishing relationships with one another that doesn't revolve around Jaune/Weiss, etc. That way there'll be a whole cast of characters to use instead of just our two main protagonists! So there will be a good amount of buildup before getting to the main plot. We'll see how it goes. Let me know.

* * *

 _Dear Winter,_

 _I hope this letter finds you well, my dear sister. I am writing to inform you that I have arrived at Beacon Academy and completed my first day. It was not for the lack of trying on the part of others, however._

 _When I first set foot upon the campus I quite literally ran into the most infuriating girl who I later found out was named Ruby Rose. The fact that I was carrying a briefcase full of our company's dust and the dangers that such a volatile collision would produce did not seem to faze her. Her ignorance would soon cost me dearly when she sneezed, causing a minor explosion which ruined the clothing I was wearing. I was not even a full day into the first semester and the personification of disaster had already struck me._

 _Unfortunately I encountered the girl once again later in the day, where she was this time accompanied by her older sister. While the elder girl carried herself with a small amount of dignity and common sense, this minor detail was completely undermined by her sloppy, hodgepodge manner of dress. I suspect that failure and incompetence run in their family. If I never had to see either of the two again during my time at Beacon it would truly be a dream come true._

 _As for the matter of Beacon Academy itself, I must admit that I was quite surprised with what I saw. I knew from the research I had done on the school after my acceptance that it would be a conglomeration of students from all of the kingdoms in Remnant, however seeing the mixture of different races and cultures in person is something which has taken me aback. This is especially true for the Faunus, of which there are an abundance scurrying about the campus. The fact that the headmaster Professor Ozpin willingly lets these creatures attend his school does make a small part of me question my attendance here, which I am sure father would be most pleased with. Just between you and me, the presence of the Faunus here makes me believe that this would be the final straw for father, and that he would send for me to return home at once rather than continuing my education here._

 _Speaking of father, have you spoken to him in person since my departure? I admittedly did not interact with him at all since leaving, which I consider to be a boon rather than a misfortune. Luckily he had already left for work the morning of my flight which made it easy to not have to tell him goodbye. I do not think I would be able to stand another of his outbursts trying to convince me to stay in Atlas to pursue my studies rather than at Beacon. He had been persistent in this endeavor as of late. Not only have his anger issues been directed my attendance here, but at matters with the company in general. Circumstances at home have been different ever since you left home for your service in Atlas' military. You know how father can get when things go badly. Recently the White Fang has been making business very difficult for not just the Schnee Corporation, but by extension for father personally. The fact that you have not been home in the past few years has made all of the difference. I could not have escaped from our estate sooner._

 _At the moment it is actually rather late at night here at Beacon. I will be retiring to bed after completing this letter to you. I sincerely hope I will be able to fall asleep in a timely manner, however, as there is quite a bit of distracting chatter amongst the students in the large hall in which they have gathered all of the new attendees. I hope to be able to write to you again soon._

 _Yours truly,_

 _Weiss_

* * *

Weiss Schnee examined her work, blowing on the piece of paper where little bits of ink were still wet. It was truly marvelous as always. There were only a handful of things in the world which the girl felt encompassed her entire being. Wielding her rapier Myrtenaster was the first. It was simple yet complex. Vicious yet graceful. It required practice, patience and precision. Attacking with the blade was an art, there could never be any wasted movement or effort. Every strike was to connect with its intended target. To do otherwise was to leave yourself exposed to a counter-attack. And being exposed to harm was something that Weiss never allowed to happen. Not from anyone.

She continued to let her gaze wander across the words that had been written. The words there, the product of her carefully honed handwriting skill, were the second thing which she felt was an integral part of her. Small. Elegant. Perfect. The words on the paper looked as though they had been printed off of a computer rather than produced by the heiress of the Schnee Dust Company herself. Any variations in the size and shape of the letters were invisible to the naked eye. And if she were to make a wager, she would say that they would remain so under the careful scrutiny of a microscope as well. Not that she considered herself to be a gambling woman. There was too much to be left to chance when fate was taken out of her own hands. And control over herself; her words, her actions, her life itself, was never to be taken away from her.

Carefully folding the sheet of paper into three sections, she delicately placed it into an envelope which had already been prepared with the appropriates addresses written on its front. With a few tiny licks of her tongue she sealed the adhesive strip to the main body of the small parcel she intended to have mailed in the morning. Weiss loved to write letters. There was so much more of a personal touch in doing something with one's own hands, with something hand crafted or written, as opposed to a message sent via scroll or CCT. Even a video message using the latter in her mind lacked the proper touch. For one was painstakingly done with her own effort while the other was merely light and data being captured and transmitted from machine to machine. It simply would not do. Not when Winter was involved.

She missed Winter. It had not even been a full day at Beacon Academy and she already missed her older sister. Not that her elder sibling had been around all too often in recent months as it was. Being a specialist in the military of the Kingdom of Atlas meant that her work took her all around the world. And yet someone in the Schnee Dust Company's employ always managed to get her letters out to Winter in a timely manner. The rare instances which Winter had been home recently had all been on official business. General Ironwood and the rest of his senior staff in the Atlesian military worked closely in conjunction with Weiss and Winter's father. It was a fact that the Schnee patriarch loved to gloat about in his own subtle, passive-aggressive way. He would brag to all of those who would listen, and even those who he knew would not. Those he surrounded himself with, his yes-men and cronies, would bob their heads vigorously, jowls jiggling, as they nodded in approval hoping to gain his favor in either promotions, raises, or simply his patronage. Little did they realize that they were not the ones doing the manipulating.

A frown crossed the lips of the girl. In an instant she stopped it in its tracks and let a bright, wide smile plaster his alabaster-toned face. She was fortunate it was so dark in the room which she and so many others occupied.

Looking around her in the great hall of Beacon Academy, she saw that most people were already asleep, or at least attempting to do so. A ragtag collection of sleeping bags and blankets littered the floor's surface which contained all manner of aspiring students from all over the world. With the school making its home in Vale, most of the young men and women hailed from there. But much like herself she knew that there were others from the other three kingdoms. As well as Menagerie. The frown threatened to creep back onto her face before she held it back. She would not think about that place or its... things for now. Putting her focus back on places like her own home of Atlas, as well as Vacuo and Mistral, she wondered what sort of culture shocks they may experience in the coming days. How many would make it far enough for it to even matter? How would she fare herself?

There it was again. The doubt that insisted on rearing its ugly head at the worst possible times. The heiress needed a distraction. Pulling the band that held her long, white hair in a ponytail, she let it cascade down her shoulders before she began running her hands through it in search of tangles or clumps. Satisfied that there was nothing that would cause any surprise or pain, she took out a brush and began the task of straightening her beautiful tresses, as she did every night before bed. She had only gotten to work for approximately a minute before a commotion across the room forced her attention towards it.

Girls. Loud girls. Girls who did not understand the rules of a civilized society. Girls who had not been taught proper manners and etiquette as she herself had. Already twice today had Weiss encountered their lot. And both times one of the same girls had been involved. Dare she make it three for three?

Standing up and flattening any creases or wrinkles there may have been in her pale blue nightgown, Weiss moved toward the cause of the unwanted sound in the dim lighting. Around her boys and girls alike looked up to watch the girl who was unknowingly on the warpath.

As she approached there was no mistaking it. Red. Yellow. The two colors were beginning to make her subconsciously nauseous. Not even a day had gone by and these two girls had already ruined two of the three primary colors for her. If there was a third sister of theirs dressed in blue she did not know if she would be able to control herself. Weiss refused to hate the color of her own eyes.

"What is going on over here!" she said with no trace of her usual tact or manners. She held her arms out in front of her as they moved right and left, motioning to all of those around them. "Can you not see that people are trying to sleep? Initiation is tomorrow and some of us would like to be prepared!"

The girl in red, Ruby, was it? She seemed to shy away from the sudden confrontation. "I'm really sorry," she said softly, her tone what Weiss could only imagine the inner monologue of a chastised puppy would sound like when it was caught in the midst of destroying a pillow. "You're right, we should be quiet. People are trying to sleep."

Before she could reply, Weiss saw the larger of the two sisters, the yellow one... Yang? The one with blonde hair? Not that it mattered what her name was, but she stepped forward regardless. "What's your problem with my sister anyway? All she's ever tried to do was be nice to you and this is how you treat her?"

"Your sister is a hazard to my health," Weiss countered. "Or have you already forgotten that she admitted to setting off a dust explosion earlier in the afternoon?"

Ruby waved her arms frantically. "It was an accident!"

"She said she was sorry like a million times!" Yang added.

"Actually I think it was only a few..."

Weiss reached out, shoving her palm near both of their faces to try and get them to stop talking. "I don't care! Just try to show some maturity and respect for your peers and we'll get along great. Okay?"

A look of hope gleamed in Ruby's silver eyes. "Does this mean we really can start fresh?"

Blinking a few times in utter silence, Weiss looked the red-clad girl squarely in her hopeful, naive eyes. "No."

Out of the corner of her eye, Weiss saw a girl sitting with a book pressed up against her raised knees. Clad in black with hair to match, the newcomer tried to make her presence known "Um, girls?" she asked quietly.

"You haven't even given her a chance," the blonde girl said, poking her finger out accusingly straight into Weiss' outstretched hand. "My sister is awesome. Maybe you'd find that out if you would stop being such a pain."

Weiss' eyes narrowed as she scoffed in disbelief. "Me? Me being a pain? Hello! Explosion? Actual pain for multiple parties here?"

"Girls..." the unknown girl said, trying once more to get their attention.

Yang like everyone else ignored her. That, or she simply could not hear the calm and collected voice of the girl sitting beneath them. "How many times are you going to bring that up before you let it go?"

"As many times as I need to get it through your heads that I just want you people out of sight and out of mind."

"People are staring..." Ruby said softly.

"Well maybe you should just go back over to wherever you're sleeping and you'll get your wish!" Yang said harshly.

"I'd love to if you and your sister would just be quiet!" Weiss replied with just as much fervor.

There wasn't another retort as the dark-haired girl blew out the candles that were there in order to supply light for her late night reading. Extinguishing one of the few remaining sources of light in the room, Weiss did not feel inclined to continue the conversation, arguing in the darkness like a fool. And by the sound of it neither did the two sisters.

Instead, she walked away in a huff, using her memories of where she had walked when the lighting was too poor to guide her back to her own sleeping area.

Finding it after a small journey through the veritable military camp of future warriors, Weiss guided herself down onto her knees and an arm before settling on her side. She pulled her blanked up to cover her body and rested her head down on the soft pillow awaiting it. Lying there for long, tense moments took several deep breaths before deciding that she was calm enough. Closing her eyes, all she could hear now were a handful of hushed whispers of people who thought they were being quiet and discreet enough to keep their midnight conversations private. She wondered how many people here were talking to friends or family they knew from before they arrived at Beacon. She wondered how many people here had made new friends on the first day, and that was who they were talking with now.

It did not matter. She tried to drown them out as her mind sang a song that only she could hear. At least this time.

* * *

What was he doing here?

Looking up to the statue in the center of Beacon Academy's courtyard, the boy could only sigh. It was a massive and dominating piece in front of the main building of the school, the area around it left open and unoccupied by any other architecture. It was likely by design to show the significance of those portrayed in the work of art. After all, one did not get a statue of themselves if they were not important.

Two figures stood atop a rock outcropping. They both wore hoods, and he could see that they were armed. The male wielded a sword, his weapon arm stretched up in triumph over the Beowolf depicted below. The other, a female, carried an axe. Their choice of weapons as well as style of armor showed that these people had lived long before the boy standing before them was even an idea in someone's mind. These heroes of old were ancient indeed. And he carried the male figure's blood in his veins.

Who was he again?

Jaune Arc could not remember. It was hard to keep track of so many details of so many deeds of so many heroes. His father. Grandfather. Great grandfather. The list went on and on. He had a legacy of greatness in both blood and name. It was the reason he was standing where he was right now. If nothing else he would continue the tradition. He had to. It was the only driving force in his life. To become the next in a long line of legendary warriors.

He sighed, running a hand through unkempt, shaggy blonde hair. He had not had much time to prepare for initiation this morning. Oversleeping was the worst. The only things he had been able to do before rushing out of the main hall of the school was slip on some new clothes and grab a quick meal. It was the natural and correct choice, in his mind. A budding warrior needed his protein. And as his mother had said, breakfast was the most important meal of the deal. Jaune hoped the deodorant he slapped on haphazardly would suffice to mask any stench that may have been emanating from him. He hoped that in the end that it would not matter, and that the sweat and grime he accumulated during initiation would make his lack of shower a moot point.

Where was he going again?

Lockers. That was right. He had to go to the locker room to recover his sword and shield before initiation began. Despite placing his items in said locker the day before, he had already forgotten its location. And if there had been an announcement in the morning to remind such forgetful people of its location, he had unfortunately missed that. Either while he still slept, or he had simply not been paying attention in a rush to shovel his breakfast down his throat. In any case he still did not know. Taking his attention off of the statue and looking around the courtyard in hope that a solution would magically manifest, he saw a face that he recognized. Maybe she would know.

Clad in a jacket and skirt so pale a shade of blue that it looked white in places, the girl certainly carried herself with a sense of dignity and purpose. Taking a few steps toward the white-haired young woman, he hoped that she would be... kinder than she had sounded yesterday. While he had only briefly overheard the conversation between her and his newest friend Ruby, she had not sounded like she was in the best of moods. Which was understandable. It was the first day in a brand new place surrounded by unfamiliar people. Tensions were bound to run high. Tempers would naturally flare. They were teenagers after all. Hormone-driven teenagers in a school where he noticed that everyone seemed to be unusually good looking. He wondered why exactly that was. Had he just hit the jackpot when it came to the female student population?

As he grew closer Jaune could not help but feel a growing discomfort in his stomach. Don't throw up. Don't throw up. Do not. Throw up. He tried to will his body to obey the silent commands in his mind. Yesterday had just been a minor accident. Sure, he had vomited all over that pretty blonde's shoes. But as he had told Ruby, motion sickness was a very real issue that was not to be underestimated. It was misunderstood as well! It was not nerves. Simply the motion of the aircraft in midflight. Humans were not designed to fly. Most people took for granted that they could just hop onboard an airship or bullhead with no negative side effects. They just did not understand his pain.

He was closing in now. Doubt was beginning to settle in over him. Like every other girl here the pale-skinned student was beautiful. And not just in a "wow that chick is hot" kind of way. But more as in a "are you a fairy tale princess?" manner. He wondered if his younger sisters could be fooled into believing the girl really was royalty. He smiled at the thought of his family. But now was not the time to be nostalgic. He had a mission. To find the lockers. And if he happened to talk to a cute girl in the process then all the better. And, if by some chance, the cute girl happened to be charmed by his words and they became friends... well that was all just icing on the cake. Jaune Arc was an eternal optimist when it came to matters of the heart.

After all, the girl in question had already noticed him. She had referred to him as blonde. And tall. Both of which were true. Also something about scraggly. He ran his hand through his hair again. His appearance this morning would certainly not help her opinion of him in that regard.

"She's not exactly wrong..." he said softly to himself.

Confidence. Confidence was all he needed. It was one of the things that his father had taught him which had actually stuck. It was all he needed for this situation. Do not be afraid of rejection and failure. Be persistent. Women liked to feel that they were desired. That they were someone's first and only choice.

Wait. When had this become about sweet talking the girl? Wasn't he supposed to be asking for directions? Well, he could always kill two Nevermores with one stone...

He stepped close to her, speaking as he did so. "Hi there. Would you happen to know where the locker rooms are? Maybe we could look for them together, snow angel?"

The girl turned, her eyes boring holes into him as she stared him down. He noticed a pale scar running down the left side of her face, from her forehead to slightly below her eye. Even with the imperfection she was still the epitome of beauty and grace.

The hard edge in her voice matched the expression on her face. "Excuse me? Do you have any idea who you're talking to?"

Even though her neck was craned up to look into his own eyes, the girl before him still managed to be intimidating. At six feet and one inch Jaune stood over most other guys his age. Or even older. It was one of the few things in his life that no one could take away from him. Barring a creature of Grimm tearing off his legs, that was. The girl in white-blue by comparison he estimated was nearly a foot shorter than he was. And she was wearing heels! The difference could be even greater for all he knew. Despite her cold demeanor Jaune suddenly felt a lot better about his chances. Women liked tall men, after all. Tall men with confidence. And persistence! He was covering all of his bases. Surely there was no way she could stay angry at him. He could imagine how the conversation might play out in his mind.

 _Oh wow, you're really tall! I like that in a man._

 _Why yes. Yes I am, snow angel. May I escort you to the locker room, m'lady?_

 _Yes, please. I would be delighted._

Never mind the fact that he did not even know where the lockers were. It was his fantasy. And no one could ever take that away from him. Just like his legs. Except for the Grimm part. But not even the Grimm could take away his thoughts!

Jaune smirked, continuing to play the suave man that he envisioned himself to be. "Of course I do," he said with confidence. These initial words seemed to put a look of smug satisfaction on the girl's face. "The most beautiful girl in all of Remnant," he replied to her question. Inside he beamed with pride.

 _Nailed it!_

The expression on her face changed in an instant from pleased to absolutely glowering. "My name is Weiss Schnee." Her icy blue eyes matched her tone when she spoke her name.

"And mine is Jaune Arc," he replied coolly as he prepared his usual spiel. "Short, sweet, rolls off the tongue. Ladies love it. Do you?"

"Schnee," she repeated, ignoring his own introduction as insignificant. "As in the Schnee Dust Company." Jaune looked at her with a blank expression on his face. "As in the largest producer and distributor of dust in the four kingdoms of Remnant."

"Oh," he said, still not quite knowing what to make of it all. "Okay."

Weiss sighed, closing her eyes and grinding her teeth for a split second before looking back up at him. "You have a weapon right?"

"Yes."

"And your weapon uses dust. Who do you think supplies that dust?"

"It doesn't use dust," he corrected her.

Her eyes narrowed at him in response even before she could verbally reply. "What?"

The girl's response had been one of genuine confusion. Was she just not familiar with weapons that did not use dust? Was his sword really that uncommon compared to the weapons of his peers? This conversation was beginning to cause a slight sensation of déjà vu. The one with Ruby the other day had ended well enough, with the small red-clad girl saying that his sword was cool, and that people these days simply did not appreciate the classics. Jaune doubted that Weiss would be quite as accepting of his old weapon.

"I have... I have a sword. And a shield. They don't use dust. Why would they?"

Placing her hands on her hips, Weiss looked him up and down. "And where is this primitive, degenerate weapon of yours?"

He ignored the shot she had taken at his family heirloom. "Well you see, that's why I'm looking for the locker room. To get it. For initiation."

"How do you not remember where our lockers are? We stored our gear inside them yesterday. Are you just some special kind of dolt?"

Again, she was not wrong. "Well, you see..." was all he could manage before she took control of the conversation again.

Weiss pulled her scroll from her pocket before her eyes widened. "Oh my goodness, the time!" she exclaimed. "I've wasted enough of my morning talking to you already. If I'm late for initiation I will never forgive you... you... whatever your name is!"

"It's Jaune. Jaune Ar-"

"I don't care what your name is!" she interrupted. "I have to go, please don't waste my time with any more of your buffoonery."

Buffoonery? Was that even a word?

Jaune watched as Weiss stormed away from him, the high heels of her white boots making a loud clacking noise on the concrete as she walked. Her pale skirt swayed as she moved which only further drew his attention to the lower portion of her body. How did she fight like that? Or even move for that matter? She fit the vision of a dancer or other kind of performer more than an aspiring huntress.

Rubbing the back of his neck, Jaune made the decision to follow her. She clearly knew where she was going. And considering she was his only lead he decided to take the gamble that she would lead him to the locker rooms where his sword Crocea Morswas currently housed.

Keeping a little distance between them as he followed, Jaune could not help but feel disappointed at how that had turned out. What made her so different from Ruby? When he had met the younger girl the day before she had been kind, friendly, and admittedly a little bit dorky. In many ways very much like himself. Perhaps that was why she had been so easy to get along with. It had been his first experience in meeting a stranger here at Beacon, so naturally he assumed every other meeting afterward would be more of the same. Of course these heroes in the making would be friendly. That was why they wanted to be heroes after all. To save the day. To help the helpless. To defend the people of Remnant and ask for nothing in return. At least until he had been properly introduced to Weiss Schnee.

Schnee. The name did ring a familiar bell, though he admittedly was not interested much in the world of politics, finance and industry. If the girl had told him that her father created the X-Ray & Vav comic books that he was infatuated with then that would have been an entirely different story. A teenage boy had to have priorities after all. Present him with something he was familiar with and he could shock you with his knowledge and dedication. But dust... dust was something he was very unfamiliar with. As he had told the girl, Crocea Mors did not use dust. Nor did the shield-sheath which completed it. It was a practical weapon with very few moving parts. That made it reliable. Sturdy. And always ready for action. At least those were things he told himself to make him feel better when he encountered people who had fancier and more sophisticated weapons than him. People like Ruby.

So lost in his thoughts had Jaune been that he barely had time to stop before he came crashing face to face with the girl he was following.

Weiss stood facing him with her hands on her hips and an all too familiar scowl on her lips. "Are you stalking me now? I thought I told you not to waste my time."

The accusation caught him off balance. "W-what? Stalking? No, no. I was just, I was just following you because I thought you knew where you were going."

"So you were following me," she said knowingly. "I knew it. Tell a guy you're rich and he'll never stop trying to get on your good side. Well I'm sorry, but I'm all too familiar with your breed of scoundrel who merely seeks to take advantage of my family name."

Jaune's eyes narrowed in confusion from the continued bombardment of allegations. "Rich? Take advantage of your name? What are you talking about?"

Weiss inhaled sharply, her fingers unconsciously balling up to form tight fists. "Schnee. Dust. Company. What part of that did you not understand the first time? I am the heiress to the company. My name commands respect across all of the kingdoms of Remnant. And anytime a lowly... rogue like you hears it you begin to salivate thinking of all of the potential riches that could be yours if you were to court me."

But why would he even need to... it did not matter, he decided. Clearly the pale-skinned girl had already come to a conclusion and nothing he could say would change that. He was beginning to become frustrated however at the charges that she was laying on him. To accuse him of wanting to take advantage of her, or any other girl for that matter, was just plain wrong. Whatever her reasons for doing so were no longer important. He just wanted to be done with this conversation. Clearly trying to befriend Weiss Schnee had been a mistake.

"Look, I'm seriously just trying to find my way around," he said truthfully. "And then after that I want to go to initiation. So if you wanna help me out that'd be great. But if not then you don't have to worry about me. I'm not stalking you. I'm not interested in your name. I just want to find my locker." He hoped she would believe his confession this time.

But her response left him unsure of what she believed at this point. "Whatever," she huffed as she turned away and walked off once more.

Déjà vu all over again. For the second time in the span of a few minutes Jaune was left standing alone watching an angry heiress stomp off after giving him a piece of her mind. However this time he had at least been left in a slightly better position. Standing outside of a building off to the side of the main complex where he had spent the night, Jaune saw a multitude of students flowing in and out. The ones coming out were carrying a variety of weaponry and armor. It was as good of a bet as any that this was the place he was looking for. He would have thanked Weiss for her help if he was not sure that she would snap at him again for speaking to her.

Digging a small piece of paper out of his pocket, Jaune unfolded it to find three numbers written down. 636. That was his locker number. That was his goal. Go there, retrieve his sword, shield and armor, and then head out to begin his initiation challenge. Whatever that was. But surely for first year students on their first true day at Beacon, it would not be too difficult. Right?

When he stepped inside he noted how plain and dull the rooms looked when compared to the ornate and complex architecture of the outside. Plain light grey walls and floors made of stone were the primary features of the room, with the occasional window or blue tapestry hung on a wall to break the monotony. Metal lockers lined every wall with around three feet of space between each. And in front of them long wooden benches stood to aid those changing in and out of their battle gear.

To his surprise there were both males and females changing in the room. He could not help but wonder who thought that had been a good idea. Teenagers would be hard-pressed to control wandering eyes when it came to the massive number of attractive members of their opposite sex changing in front of them.

Shaking the thought from his head, Jaune continued searching for his target. "Okay. Locker 636. Why would I put my stuff in such a high number? Why not something simple like four? Four is so nice and easy! A nice little one syllable word. But no, I had to put it in the triple digits!"

Looking around he saw the numbers. Locker 242. Locker 262. Wait, where had the twenty numbers in between them gone? Were they naturally out of order? Was there any kind of order to them period? Did they just get up and move around at night when no one was watching? This whole setup was just madness!

Looking up from his piece of paper he heard a familiar female voice. Weiss was currently chatting with another girl, a redhead who was a great deal taller than the heiress. Nearly as tall as himself, if he had to guess. Clad in bronze armor and carrying a short sword and round shield, she looked to be the epitome of a warrior. He would not have been surprised to find out that she was already seasoned in battle and well beyond her appearance when it came to training. Her neat ponytail only further exemplified her aura of athletic prowess in a way that Weiss' own could not match.

"Not going to deal with that again," Jaune decided as he turned on his heel in a complete 180 and spun to walk in the opposite direction. But not before catching the lingering eyes of the unfamiliar redhead. He gave her a friendly smile, being slightly embarrassed of being caught looking at her. Or had she been caught looking at him? He did not know, only seeing that she returned his smile with a warm one of her own.

After a few more twists and turns he was delighted to find more familiar sights. Ruby, clad once more in her black skirt and red hooded cloak was standing next to an open locker, hugging her scythe-sniper rifle Crescent Rose close to her chest. The taller blonde girl she had been with the other day was also there. It was then that a sudden realization hit him.

 _Oh no_. That's the girl he had puked on. He panicked, not knowing if he should approach them. But his decision was quickly made for him.

"Jaune!"

He looked up to see Ruby waving. Having been caught there was nothing he could do but go over there and see if the blonde young woman remembered him as well.

He smiled as he neared the two girls. "Hey, Ruby," he said warmly, just happy to find someone who would not yell at him and accuse him of being a creepy stalker. "What's up?"

"Oh, nothing. Just finally happy to be able to show Professor Ozpin what we're both made of," she said as she caressed her weapon lovingly.

"I get the feeling that you're not talking about you and your friend when you say 'we're'," he said nodding to Crescent Rose.

"Heh, nope," she said as she began swaying her torso left and right, as if she were attempting to rock a baby to sleep. It made strange sense with her weapon being her baby and all. "Oh and this is my older sister Yang," she said looking toward the blonde girl.

Yang looked to be a good half foot taller than her younger sibling, and far more developed in physical appearance too. And unlike her sister the blonde liked to show her good looks off, dressed in short, skin tight black shorts with a yellow shirt and brown jacket that left her midriff and a good amount of cleavage exposed.

"Hey, you're the guy who threw up on me," she said with a knowing grin as she held out her hand. He took up the offer to shake her hand, and instantly regretted the decision as she squeezed down on his flesh with the force of a vice grip. Was this some sort of vengeance? "Nice to meet you. Like Ruby here said, my name's Yang."

He winced through the pain as he opened his mouth to reply. "I'm Jaune," he said with a pained smile. "Jaune Arc." He did not think he could say his usual line through gritted teeth. So he did not even bother attempting.

"Yeah, but I'm just going to call you vomit boy. I think that's easier to remember."

Jaune flexed his fingers trying to restart the blood circulation once his arm was back down at his side. "I'm really sorry about that. It's a whole thing with motion sickness. I can't control the whole puking thing."

"Aw it's okay," she cooed. "Life's too short to stress about things like a little vomit. Especially when we'll be getting Grimm blood and guts all over us! So what's a little human stuff on my shoe compared to that?"

"I guess when you put it like that..."

"Exactly! And I heard from Ruby about how you helped her out yesterday," she said before grabbing her younger sister in an affectionate headlock to pull her closer, eliciting a soft squeak from her dark-haired sibling. "She doesn't really know anyone here, being two years younger than us and all. So even though she'll never admit it she was super grateful that you stopped to make sure she was okay."

"Yang!" she whined, a small hint of redness coming to her cheeks in embarrassment.

"Oh hush, you," Yang said lovingly as she released Ruby from her grip. "See, I told you that if you got away from me you'd make a friend. And you did. A very tall, blonde, pukey friend. But a friend nonetheless!"

Ruby huffed out a breath indignantly. "Well for your information I already had a tall blonde friend in the form of an older sister," she said knowingly. "But I suppose this one is an upgrade considering you slapped another adjective onto his description."

Jaune nervously scratched the back of his neck. "Is pukey really an upgrade?"

"It is after a night of shots at the club," Yang said shamelessly. Her lilac colored eyes glinted with mischief as she spoke. "When you're not feeling too good just take a trip to the toilet and throw that shit up!" She almost sounded excited, if he was reading between the lines correctly. "You'll feel so much better afterward, and then you can get back to drinking. That's a pro life tip, vomit boy. Free of charge. This time."

"I... thanks?" was all he could manage.

"See, look. Now that we've bonded over our mutual tales of vomiting we can put all of that awkwardness behind us and be buds!"

She was taking it surprisingly well. Most girls would have been instantly repulsed by what had happened the prior day aboard the airship that had been taking the trio to Beacon. But Yang had apparently not cared much at all. Sure, she had made clear her intention to tease him about it, as Ruby had already done the day before. But all in all he considered this to be a good thing. Friendly teasing was something that could only be done amongst... friends. It was in the description after all. So this was now two friends he had made in two days. And both of them were cute girls! If this pace kept up pretty soon he would have more friends than he would know what to do with.

But then again he had also made one enemy in the form of Weiss. A fork in the road now lay in front of with two paths to choose from. Down one he could turn his back on the girl, making a decision to try and not interact with her anymore for both their sakes. Then maybe someday, maybe not today and maybe not tomorrow, the girl could forgive him for his... non-existent crimes against her. However, the other path was one of active forgiveness. Do everything in his power to show the girl he was sorry and try to befriend her. And potentially more! She was cute after all. Just like Ruby and Yang were. So many cute girls...

In what was quickly becoming a habit Jaune shook his head clear of the thoughts. Clearly this place and its aura of active, stressful teenage hormones was getting to him.

"You okay there, vomit boy?" the blonde girl spoke up, noticing what must have looked like pain on his face as he shook his head.

He let a goofy grin take over his features as he looked back at her. "Yeah. Just thinking about stuff. Speaking of stuff, do you have any idea where locker 636 is?"

"Uh... maybe that way?" she said pointing over her shoulder. "I dunno. I just kinda memorized where my locker was more than the numbers. They aren't in order anyway so there was no point in remembering it."

"Yeah. I noticed," he deadpanned.

"Don't worry, you'll find it eventually," Ruby said warmly. "But we should be heading out to the cliffs. Initiation is starting soon and there's no way I'm going to be late for it."

"Any idea what we'll be doing?"

Ruby shook her head. "Nope. But I bet it's going to be super awesome!"

"And super crazy," Yang added. "I bet it's something involving killing Grimm. After all, what good are you to the school if you can't take down a few measly Grimm during initiation?"

Jaune swallowed hard and nodded. Yes. What good would he be indeed?

"So yeah, maybe we'll see you out there," Ruby said excitedly. "And maybe we'll end up on the same team! It'll be you and me and Yang and it'll be great!" Her youthful optimism brought smiles to the faces of both blondes.

"We'll see," her sister said with a soft smirk. "Anyway, catch ya later Ja- vomit boy!"

The two girls walked off towards the exit and presumably to the cliffs. At least now he knew where the initiation would be taking place. Score another victory for Jaune. Two friends and knowing where to go! Such simple things in life could bring him happiness.

It took several more minutes, and either by sheer persistence or dumb luck Jaune did eventually find the locker containing his gear. Strapping the white armor plates over his blue jeans and black hoodie, he did not look the part of a huntsman. Or anyone intimidating for that matter. But he did not care. All that mattered was what was on the inside. The question was, what did he have on the inside?

Strapping his folded shield-turned-sheath to his belt, Jaune slid Crocea Mors in its resting place and took a deep breath. This was it. The first step on his road to greatness. Either that, or an early grave.

He stepped outside and headed to the cliffs where his destiny awaited.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** So the letter Weiss wrote at the beginning of the chapter serves two purposes. First it will be a common, connecting theme between the chapters. Sort of gives it a regular flow and some insight into her mind. And secondly, more importantly, it serves as exposition. I'm sure none of you want to read the events and dialogue which took place in the show. If you did want to see that stuff, you'd just go and watch the show. So I won't be repeating the things that happened in Volume 1 scene by scene. That'd be boring. Rather I'll just mention them in passing while characters speak or think about them, giving their own insight to what had happened.

Of course if I decide to change things up from the way it happened in canon, I'll go ahead and write it with those changes. But I guess what I'm trying to say is that a lot of the stuff you're already familiar with will happen "in between" the scenes and chapters I write. If that makes sense.

Questions? Comments? Concerns? Let me know. I read the reviews and I care about what readers think.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note:** So as I mentioned back in chapter 1 this is my first experience in writing for the RWBY community. And I must say I am absolutely amazed at the amount of support I've received so far. After just one chapter! I've never had so many views or follows for the first chapter of any story anywhere else. So thank you, thank you all for doing what you're doing. The fact that so many people are reading and reviewing means a lot to me. I'll try not to disappoint you.

* * *

 _Dear Winter,_

 _As of writing to you today I have successfully completed the initiation of Beacon Academy. It was not without its trials, however. The group of first year students were launched into the Emerald Forest below the school with only our wits and our weapons with us to fight through the Grimm that infested the forest and claim prizes in an abandoned temple complex. It was a welcome form of stress relief, and proved very cathartic after a young man I believe named John attempted to court me that morning. In addition to common foes such as Beowolves and Ursai, my companions and myself were confronted by both a Nevermore and Death Stalker of truly monstrous proportions. Naturally it would not have been a test had there not been difficulties, however to fight beasts of this caliber on the first day was most unexpected. Through innovative strategies and teamwork we were able to defeat the Grimm with no losses to ourselves, and surprisingly no real injuries either._

 _However I would be remiss if I did not include the negative aspects of the day as well, of which there was an abundance. The diminutive girl I had spoken of in my last letter, Ruby Rose, has somehow weaseled her way into becoming my partner here at Beacon for the next four years. When this had initially happened I was both outraged and terrified, as I had hoped to secure the partnership of Pyrrha Nikos, who I had the pleasure of conversing with uninterrupted just prior to our initiation. However it was to my dismay that I soon found myself face to face with this red-cloak wearing girl, who I am finding is quickly becoming the bane of my existence at this school. She is in fact two years younger than the rest of the first year students, and for some reason Professor Ozpin decided to allow her entry to the academy early. It really is enough to give me pause and question the decision-making abilities of our esteemed headmaster. Please do not mistake my words for insubordination or malice, for there is no such intent behind them. I merely do not understand his reasoning at times._

 _To make matters worse, following the initiation process students were grouped together in teams of four, each consisting of two pairs of partners who had found each other in the Emerald Forest. In addition to Ruby, I have been teamed with her older sister Yang Xiao Long and another girl named Blake Belladonna. While Blake seems to be a competent and respectable young woman, my opinion of the Yang has not changed. She is loud, obnoxious, and has the uncanny ability to think of an inappropriate pun at a moment's notice. It makes me wonder how the quiet and reserved girl who is her partner will be able to tolerate her._

 _I have saved the worst for last, I'm afraid. Of all of the members of our team, Ruby herself was declared the leader of our team, the unfortunately named Team RWBY. The decisions of Professor Ozpin continue to baffle me. Ruby is immature, lazy and does not carry herself with the dignity and respect befitting of a leader. I will work my hardest, using all of my skills and abilities as a Schnee to ensure that our team does not meet an untimely end at the hands of external enemies such as the forces of Grimm, nor from the internal enemy of poor leadership._

 _With classes beginning tomorrow I will unfortunately become busier as I am bogged down by school work, physical training and the effort of keeping my team afloat. While I may not be able to write to you as frequently as I would like please know that you are always in my heart._

 _Yours truly,_

 _Weiss_

* * *

To say that the past few days of her attendance at Beacon had been stressful would have been an understatement. Between members of the male body of students hitting on her, completing her assignments and dealing with the varying personalities of her teammates, Weiss was lucky that she even had enough energy to train at this point. Most students would have gotten their fill from Professor Goodwitch's class alone. The blonde-haired instructor had a no-nonsense way of dealing with her students and always enforced the rules with the strictest of disciple. It was something that Weiss herself could appreciate. Growing up the way she had she was used to everything being done the proper way. Mistakes were unacceptable. Mistakes made you weak. Mistakes could get you killed.

That was just one reason Goodwitch's class had quickly become her favorite of the bunch. Aside from the woman's propensity to follow the rules to the letter, the class was also the only interesting one she had. The pudgy Professor Port, while experienced enough in the ways of the world and combat, had a tendency to over-exaggerate his own exploits, or as many suspected, falsify them entirely. Dr. Oobleck on the other hand certainly told the truth at all times. The spectacled man knew his subject matter like the back of his hand and it showed with how quickly he was able to dispense information to the class. But it was all just so... dull. Names and dates and locations. The never-ending flow of information filled up her notebook quicker than all of her other classes combined. But these two were nothing compared to the course which Professor Peach taught. Weiss still had no idea what the class was even about. Notes did not even exist for the subject matter, and there were days where the students were lucky if the teacher even decided to show up to class at all.

Unlike any of those classes however, Professor Goodwitch's combat training was practical. They were to be huntsmen and huntresses after all. What was more important than learning valuable fighting experience in live exercises? What better way to learn than under the keen eye of a talented veteran huntress like Glynda Goodwitch?

In addition to the class being useful training, Weiss enjoyed watching the fighting styles of her peers. Everyone around her have lived their own unique life before coming to Beacon. Everyone had their own experiences which had shaped who they are physically, mentally and emotionally. Everyone had a different perspective on the world around them. And these were reflected in how they fought. For someone like Weiss, she could learn a lot about a person by how they fought in combat. Learning to be perceptive was a fact of life for the Schnee heiress. One did not come out of the Schnee estate without learning a thing or two about how to read the intentions of those around them. There were always enemies lying in wait. Waiting for you to slip up, waiting for a moment of weakness, waiting for their time to strike. It was just one of many of her own experiences that had shaped her into the girl she was today.

Take one of the boys who had fought today for example, Cardin Winchester. He was tall, well-built and strong. A blind King Taijitu could have seen that. With his great two-handed mace it was clear that he favored using these strengths to his advantage, no pun intended.

No, she would not let that insufferable girl Yang influence her.

The way Cardin fought was utterly reckless compared to herself. Swinging his powerful mace around as easily as a child would a plastic toy sword, he held nothing back when he attempted to smash its head into the chest and skull of the girl he had fought today. Weiss could not remember her name, but in the end the other girl had not been on the same level as Cardin and he had won. But it should not have been so easy. He should not even have won at all. His overconfidence due to his size and strength should have been turned against him. The girl was naturally quicker and more agile, but she had not taken advantage of her assets. And in the end Cardin had stood smugly with his arms held high in victory, as he had likely done many other times in his life. Weiss could tell that the boy was not used to failure. She could tell that him having hit the genetic jackpot when it came to physical prowess meant that he had not had to work as hard as other people to get to where he was in life. He expected success to be a given. He expected things to go his way simply because he was himself. He was arrogant.

Was she really any different, coming from where she had?

Of course she was. That was why she was here. That was why she was busy training while others were with their teammates eating dinner in the dining hall or hanging out around the campus.

The room was devoid of any people other than herself. It did not surprise her to see that no one else here strove for the results they desired like she did. But she needed no one else. Her reflections were enough to keep her company. Plain white walls were covered with full-size mirrors so that anyone training could see their own movements from multiple angles should they wish. Witnessing your own form and technique was especially important in any form of swordplay. How you gripped the hilt, the angle in which you held the blade, the position of your feet. Everything had to be precise. Everything had to be perfect. These were all reasons she crafted the weapon that she had. Myrtenaster was a rapier of beauty, elegance and precision. It was an extension of herself.

Along with empty spaces for weapon and martial arts practice, the massive room had areas with treadmills, stationary bikes and other cardio training machines. Over on the other side an entire third of the room was dedicated to strength training where machines, benches and racks of free weights stood. Weiss doubted that she would be making much use of those in particular. Her own style of combat did not rely on strength. And she would never be caught dead with any bulging muscles on her delicate feminine form.

Another drop of sweat trickled down the side of her face from her forehead, it taking a similar path to the scar which marred her previously flawless features. How unlady-like, she could almost imagine someone saying in her mind. Wiping it away with a brush of her left shoulder, Weiss returned her sword arm to its previous position. Her legs stood shoulder length apart, feeling no tension or discomfort in her pale blue battle skirt. Head turned left to face the same way Myrtenaster pointed, she took a deep breath.

Pale blue eyes stared into the mirror before her. Eyes locked into place in grim determination as rigid as the blade she grasped. Her right arm was tucked neatly behind her back, her fingers curled into a loose fist. She took a quick step forward as she had done innumerable times in the past.

Thrust. Parry, riposte. Reset.

Mind your footwork.

The words of her instructors still echoed in her mind even after all of these years. She betrayed her instincts to briefly look down at her feet. She silently cursed within her head, feeling stupid she had done so. Had one of her previous instructors actually been present they would have chastised her for taking her eyes off of her opponent. Her eyes were just as important as her blade in combat. So it was a natural reflex to her that she decided to mentally reprimand herself when no one else was able to.

You must be perfect.

Thrust. Parry, riposte. Reset.

Keep your eyes on your opponent's eyes. Wait for them to make a mistake. Do not telegraph your attack by looking where you intend to strike. There must be deception in your eyes. If your opponent knows where you are going to hit them then they can parry it. They will parry it. And then they will counter attack. If this was a battlefield you would be dead.

You must be perfect.

Thrust. Parry, riposte. Reset.

Weiss was simply going through the motions. She was cycling through the same repetitions as she had done thousands of times before in her young life. She did not even have to think about the actions anymore. They had become so ingrained in her mind and her muscles that she was sure she could do them in her sleep. To her a thrust of Myrtenaster was as natural as sipping a cup of tea or running a brush through her snow-white hair.

You must be perfect.

But she was not perfect.

You _must_ be perfect.

Weiss need only look at her face to know that she would never be perfect. She closed her eyes, lowering her rapier as she did so. Of course the first place she would think to look was something on the surface. Because appearances mattered. Perception was reality. Mind your manners. Speak politely. Never end a sentence with a preposition. Why is your ponytail not exactly centered? Do you think Winter would be seen dressed like that?

Of course she picked something on the surface. Because digging too deep would only bring her memories back to her.

You _must_ be perfect!

But she never would be. After all. How could someone who harbored such hatred in their heart ever be perfect?

Weiss was quickly stirred from the thoughts and memories by an excited, high-pitched voice that she had grown all too accustomed to. "Hey, Weiss!"

The heiress turned to see Team RWBY's leader standing in the doorway. Her expression remained neutral as she spoke. "Ruby."

"Wow, that was so cool to watch!" Ruby practically squealed as she entered the room. She seemed like a ball of energy ready to explode with pent-up excitement. "The way you do all those things so fast and how they're exactly the same every time. It's like you're a robot or something!"

Weiss frowned. A robot. A mechanical automaton. Something that could not feel human emotion. How far off was the younger girl really?

"Thank you," she said, choosing to accept the compliment at face value. She knew that her partner had neither the perception nor the sense to read any deeper into her own words.

"So who taught you how to do all that stuff? Dad? Mom? Brother? Sister?" Her tone was becoming more and more excited with the one-sided guessing game. "For me it was my uncle. He has a scythe too. Not nearly as cool as mine though." Weiss saw that a stupidly happy grin had taken over Ruby's face once she had brought up Crescent Rose. "Like, don't get me wrong. His is nice and all. But it definitely lacks the charm of my precious baby."

Baby. A good word to describe the behavior of her leader at times.

"No," Weiss said, using it as a blanket statement to cover all of Ruby's guesses. "I was tutored by the finest fencing instructors in Atlas."

"Oh!" she said, sounding genuinely impressed. "That's cool too! You must be pretty rich to be able to afford all those people. But I guess that's why you're the heiress to a company right?"

"Correct." An uncomfortable silence fell over the room following the answer. Weiss was well-versed in the art of conversation and chose to direct it to its conclusion. "Shouldn't you be with the others? It's dinner time after all."

"Shouldn't you?" Ruby countered. "You gotta eat too ya know!"

"Thank you, but I'm fine," she said before raising Myrtenaster once again, her left arm extended but not completely straight. "I have training to do."

Ruby blew air up from her mouth, it catching some of the red-black hair that hung near her eyes. "As the leader of Team RWBY I think you've had enough training for now." She spoke with exaggerated pride and confidence with those words. Her tone may have even sounded endearing had Weiss not already known the girl. "Plus we had Professor Goodwitch's class today. That's like... training by exposure too! You should come hang out with us. I bet... Blake misses you!"

Weiss spared a thought for her dark-attired teammate. Being surrounded by the two sisters would likely make her miss the only other voice of sanity on the team. However the quiet girl could always find herself lost in a book rather than be forced to interact with the troublesome teenagers. In the past few days as the girls began learning more about each other they had found out a great deal about the others interests, habits and quirks. One thing that defined Blake was her love of literature. Even the shoddily-made bunk bed that she shared with Yang was built on a foundation of hardback reading material. In a given day she could easily spend a quarter of it with her nose in a book. It gave her just enough time to do the other important things like sleeping, attending classes and studying.

"Please give Blake my regards then," she said with a neutral smile as she delivered a thrust with Myrtenaster to her imaginary opponent.

"Weiss!" Ruby whined softly. "If we're going to be a team we need to spend time together. Especially us. We're partners, remember?"

Another thrust. "All too well."

"So... maybe we should hang out then. Just the two of us! Or it can even be the whole team if you want. Oh I know, we could go into Vale over the weekend and do something."

A harder thrust. "Perhaps."

The red-cloaked girl continued, unaware of what Weiss was trying to convey with her short, simple replies. "Like see a movie. Or go shopping. Oh oh we can go and do something fancy like eat cake and drink tea! I think you'd like that kind of thing wouldn't you?"

Weiss exhaled sharply. Another thrust. "We'll see."

Ruby's hands drifted to her hips as a frown formed on her face. "I know what that means. Dad always said it whenever I wanted something I knew deep down he wouldn't give me. Always a 'we'll see'. And you know what? We never did see! Nothing was ever seen! Saying 'we'll see' might as well just be saying no!"

Her grip on the rapier was now so tight that she would have seen her knuckles turn white had she been looking at her own hand. Her thrust went downward, nearly striking the floor as she fought the imbalance in her feet that the missed strike had prompted. Her eyes widened, partly in embarrassment of making such a mistake. But it was also anger which caused such a reaction. She turned to the source of her mistake.

"Ruby, please!" she said, finally letting her emotions take control of her voice. "I am trying to train here and I do not need distractions."

The smaller girl looked visibly hurt by the sudden outburst. The expression on her face said more than words of her own ever could. But that did not stop her from saying them. "I... I'm sorry. I'm just trying to help."

"A good leader knows when to act and when not to," Weiss said as though she were an expert on the subject. "Sometimes doing nothing is better than doing the wrong thing."

"Yeah but... but I just want us to be close." Her eyes drifted to the floor as she began pivoting the tip of one of her shoes on the ground. "Like partners should be."

"And the first thing you can do to make that happen is to give me some space. Like right now. When I'm training."

"Oh. Okay," Ruby said meekly. She backed away a few steps toward the entrance to the training room. "I'm sorry. I'll just leave you alone for now."

Weiss nodded wordlessly as she raised her sword back up.

Thrust. Parry, riposte. Reset.

Again and again. She went through the motions a dozen more times. Dozens. A hundred. The repetition helped to calm her down. Her breathing became even and steady once more. She lost herself in the movements. Her mind went blank as she stared into the mirror in front of her. If only for a brief moment, before the thoughts came back.

You must be perfect.

Her eyes slid closed with a sigh.

* * *

"Good morning everyone!"

Eyes shot open at the sudden noise. He was for a brief moment unfamiliar with where he was and what was going on. In a haze he reached for his scroll and wallet, lest they be stolen from someone who was not supposed to be in his room. Why would someone be in his room? Why would a stranger be in his house to begin with? After blinking several times he came back to reality. The images he was seeing were finally being processed in his sleepy mind. This was not his room. It was not his home. Not his traditional home, at least. There was no risk, no danger. Not yet, at least.

Jaune looked to find the source of the noise, already knowing what he would find. Or rather, who he would find. Nora Valkyrie stood at the center of the room between the four beds that occupied it already dressed in her usual white tank top and pink skirt. It was far too early for this, wasn't it?

"Wake up everyone!" she said a little bit louder. What was so urgent that she needed everyone to be up by force?

"Nora, what's going on?" came the tired voice of Lie Ren. Jaune was certain that the sleepy tone in his voice came naturally, and that any ill effects of being suddenly awoken by the energetic redhead would remain unseen.

"Why does something have to be going on?" she wondered. "I was just... I mean, I woke up like two hours ago and got bored of just sitting here on my scroll. So once the sun came up I-"

"Wait, you mean to tell me you've been up since before the sun came up?" Jaune asked.

Nora snorted a tiny laugh. "Well, yeah. Obviously. Tell him, Ren."

Jaune had come to learn much about his teammates in their first few days together. One of the first things had been hammered into his head early on. Ren and Nora were best friends. They had been together for a long time, since childhood. Of course they were not together-together, as Nora so blatantly liked to point out. But the pair of teens were nigh inseparable. The fact that the hyperactive girl had come up with some sort of animal call to use so that they may find one another during initiation spoke volumes of her desire to be together with her friend. But not together-together, naturally. Oh dear it was spreading.

As such, Ren was the primary source of keeping his short-haired partner in line. A single utterance of her name was usually all it took to rein in her antics, which Jaune was very thankful for. Despite the fact that he had been made the leader of Team JNPR he doubted that he would have an effective form of "Nora Control" anytime soon. The tiny powerhouse was impervious to nearly all forms of reason and negotiation once her madness had gained momentum.

"She tends to be an early riser," the black-haired boy confirmed. "It made for some interesting days at our orphanage."

"I'm also a morning person!" she added cheerfully. "No caffeine required!"

Ren mumbled something unintelligible in response.

A new voice spoke up. "Is this habit responsible for you falling asleep in Professor Port's class yesterday?"

Pyrrha Nikos. Jaune's partner. He did not feel he deserved her.

When he had first set his eyes on her a few days before in the locker room he had noted that she looked like a professional warrior. He had not been far from the truth. To his surprise, Jaune found out that she was the current Mistral Regional Champion, having won the tournament a record four years in a row. But to him the far more important detail was the fact that she was on the cover of every box of Pumpkin Pete's Marshmallow Flakes cereal. It was one thing to be a fighting champion. But it was something else entirely to be a star. People had to have their priorities straight.

It wasn't just her accolades that he felt made her too good for him. She was beautiful. Tall. Thin. Athletic. Her long crimson hair was down right now after just waking up, perfectly framing her face with its fiery locks. Deep emerald green eyes, the same ones which had looked into his own several days earlier, showed no signs of arrogance or venom that came with the territory of being famous. Famous like a certain other icy-eyed beauty. No, Pyrrha had turned out to be nothing short of a kind, patient and understanding person. She had even unlocked his Aura back in the Emerald Forest at a time when he did not even know what Aura was. It had not even been an hour into their initiation and she had already done more than her duty as his partner to watch out for him.

"Naw," Nora said with a tiny, dismissive wave of her hand. "I fell asleep because of how _boring_ that class is. I mean can you blame me?"

Pyrrha smiled diplomatically. "I will admit that his tales are sometimes a bit hard to follow."

"Right?" Nora beamed with pride having the agreement of who they all knew was the most professional hunter among them. "And what sayeth you, fearless leader of ours?"

Jaune snapped back to attention. He wasn't sure if he had drifted off due to his thoughts on Pyrrha or the sleepiness which still nagged him, but in any case his blue eyes looked once more to his human alarm clock. "Um, yeah. Pretty boring."

"There you have it! If our leader says it then it must be so!"

"You know that might not be the best policy to follow..." he frowned. "What if I come up with a really, really stupid idea?"

Nora gasped. "What's this? Insubordination? From our own dear leader? I will not stand for it!" She grabbed hold of his shoulders and began shaking him. Truthfully it was doing wonders for helping him wake up. "I will hammer some self-confidence into you even if I have to actually use my hammer!"

Jaune's eyes widened at the thought, which did not go unnoticed by Ren. "Don't think she won't," the boy said apologetically.

Jaune shuttered at the thought. He had seen her massive hammer Magnhild in action. She wielded it with enough power to smash the skull of an Ursa in a single blow, and to even stun or incapacitate a Death Stalker through its hard, chitinous plates.

"Yup, sounds good, Nora," he said quickly. "I am your leader, full of confidence and ability, and I say we do not do the thing you just suggested that you do!"

Her head tilted to the side, giving him a wide, toothy grin of satisfaction. "You're the boss, boss."

"But now that we are up," Pyrrha said in that polite, almost cautious way she spoke. "What shall we do for the next..." she let out a small sigh. "Two hours before our first class?"

"Go back to bed," Ren said, flopping back onto his mattress and burying his head between two pillows.

"Oh, it's Thursday!" Nora exclaimed. "Let's start making plans for what we should do tomorrow night. It'll be our first weekend here at Beacon! We could do something like go into the city!"

Jaune rubbed his chin between his thumb and forefinger. "Wouldn't going into the city kinda defeat the whole novelty of it being out first weekend at Beacon?"

"A valid point," Nora agreed. "I got it! What if half of us stay here and half of us go to Vale? Then we can say that Team JNPR did both!"

"Please stop humoring her," came the muffled voice of Ren, who had by now pulled up his blanket to cover his head.

Pyrrha smiled innocently. "I am sure whatever we decide to do we will have fun as long as we do it together."

Ren had the right idea, however. It wasn't that Pyrrha was wrong. Far from it. No matter what they wound up doing together the results would most likely be terrific. The only variable was how much sugar Nora would consume that morning. But for today, Jaune was not nearly awake enough yet to deal with the personification of crazy that was Nora Valkyrie. He was well aware of this despite having only known her for a few days.

"That's the spirit, problem solved!" Jaune said, looking for any way out of the current situation. He took a few steps back toward the door before reaching behind him to find the doorknob. "I'm going to just step outside for a moment. For... breakfast. Yeah. Okay team, hold down the fort while your leader secures provisions for himself."

Nora raised her hand and gave him a hearty salute. Ironically her eccentric behavior made her the ideal soldier for him to command. "Yes sir!"

Pyrrha looked to him, and then to the still form of Ren in his bed. A moment later her eyes widened when she realized that she would be the only person there to converse with Nora. She looked at Jaune pleadingly, but he could only mouth the words "I'm sorry" before opening the door and slipping out.

Shutting the door immediately he leaned back against a wall and let out a sigh. This was his life now. Sharing a room with a silent ninja, a hyperactive nut job, and one of the most beautiful, out of his league girls he had ever met.

Since when did he become the candidate for the most normal person in a given group?

Stifling a yawn he began walking down the hall toward the cafeteria. He had not been lying when he said that he was going for some breakfast. It was early. Painfully early. And at this time of day there would not be too many students up and about. That meant short lines and a peaceful eating atmosphere. Both of which were good considering that he had shared a home first with seven sisters, and now with three teammates. He loved his new friends but there were still times when he felt he needed some quiet. Mainly from Nora. What could her secret be for such energy levels? Was it really the power naps she seemed to take during Professor Port's classes? Or was she just naturally someone who only needed four hours of sleep a night? Regardless of the reasons, regardless of all of her minor faults, he still cared for her. Just like everyone else on his team.

He closed his eyes for a few brief seconds as he walked, his early wakeup call still affecting him. He assumed that doing this would somehow benefit him. But in reality all he really wound up doing was increasing his chances of walking into a wall. Thankfully he did no such thing by the time he opened his eyes again. But he could have sworn that he smelled the bitter aroma of coffee while he had slid his eyelids shut. Some heightened sense of awareness to compensate for his temporary lack of vision? He was nearing the cafeteria after all. Maybe that would be his semblance. Super senses. That would be so cool.

Jaune was just about to turn a corner when he stopped dead in his tracks. Around the other side of the wall came none other than the heiress herself, Weiss Schnee. The only person he had met so far that he had not befriended. Okay. This was it. Class was about to begin. Friendship 101 courtesy of Beacon Academy. Taught by Professor Jaune Arc. He was a pro at making friends. After all, like his mother had told him. Strangers were just friends that you hadn't met yet. It was time to start the lesson.

He inhaled a small breath as teeth dug into his lower lip. "Hello," he squeaked awkwardly. He winced. Even he had heard how his voice slightly cracked in his greeting. Lousy teenage hormone stuff.

Weiss stood before him wearing her familiar white-blue skirt and jacket, while her hair was tied up in long ponytail. By the looks of it she had been up for some time just like Nora. A thick, lidded paper cup of what he assumed was coffee was clenched in her left hand.

She looked him up and down for a few seconds before she replied. "It's too early in the morning to deal with this."

His eyes squinted in confusion. "With what?"

She nodded forward toward his body before looking back up at his eyes. Jaune looked down, presumably at what she was referring to.

Oh crap.

There, in the middle of Beacon Academy's halls, Jaune Arc stood barefoot in his powder blue, white rabbit icon onesie.

Jaune closed his eyes and sighed heavily. Today had not started well.

"Nice onesie. Did your mother make it for you?"

"No!" he said defensively. His next few words were noticeably softer. "One of my sisters did..."

"How adorable," she said sardonically.

"Would you believe me if I told you that I planned this?" It wasn't like the situation could get any worse than it already was.

She stared unflinchingly, her own ice-blue eyes into his deep azure ones. "No."

"Well it was worth a shot."

She stepped around him to walk away from the situation. "Uh huh..."

"Because you know leaders like me are always thinking outside the box," he said as he turned and began walking beside her. "It's a team leader kind of thing. I'm one of those, in case you didn't know."

"Oh I know, unfortunately," she said as she picked her pace up a tiny bit. "I was there when several heinous mistakes were made in regards to team leadership."

Jaune's long legs were easily able to keep up with the shorter girl. "Yeah, about that day. I think you and I got off on the wrong foot. What do you say we start over, get a fresh start? Maybe grab some coffee, talk about stuff? Like how absolutely gorgeous yo-"

He didn't finish as Weiss brought her boot down hard one on the closest bare foot to her. Jaune yelped in sudden pain, lifting the injured appendage while hopping around on his good leg.

"There, was that the right foot?" she sneered.

Leaning against the wall now, Jaune looked down at his throbbing foot and couldn't help but smile through the pain. "Actually it was," he said with a small laugh. "Yang would be so proud if she were here right now."

Weiss' cold expression only grew icier at the mention of the blonde girl's name. She looked down to see the foot she had stomped on, and he imagined what must have been her mentally connecting the dots between what she had just said and Yang's antics. A low growl hummed in her throat at the terrible pun but otherwise said nothing before walking away.

Jaune followed after her again, wincing in pain with each step he took. "Oh come on. I was serious about the whole wrong foot thing." She stopped again, prompting him to do the same while dropping into a defensive position to try and protect his legs from further attack.

She pointed a finger accusingly at him with her free hand. "Here's a lesson they won't teach you here at Beacon, John."

"It's Jaune, actually," he corrected her.

"Whatever. Try not to hit on a girl while wearing that," she said motioning to his onesie. "While doing so probably won't improve your odds of actually gaining any female attention, at least you won't look like a complete fool while making the attempt."

He nodded in understanding. "Got it. So the next time I hit on you I need to wear something nicer. Thanks, Weiss. You're a real pal."

The look of frustration on her face was priceless as she sputtered her words trying to formulate some coherent sentence. "Look, I did not say anything about continuing to harass me. I don't know what kind of sad lost puppy gimmick you think I'm interested in, but I am not. I simply am not. Do you understand?"

"You called me a puppy. And puppies are cute. By continuing down this line of thinking..."

Her voice became gravely serious. "Don't. You. Even."

"You think I'm cute."

The irritated roar Weiss let out was most unfitting for someone such as her. At least that's what Jaune thought. Not wishing to press his luck any further and perhaps end up with two swollen feet, he watched as she stormed away down the hall, not looking back once as she did so.

He let out a sigh as he leaned back against the wall once more. "This is fine. Yeah. Everything will be fine."

As he hobbled back to his own dorm room he couldn't help but feel a little sad. He was zero for two when it came to the pale beauty. Why was she so difficult? Already in his first few days at Beacon he had befriended four stunningly gorgeous young women and one admittedly handsome man. But Weiss... Weiss was tough. And if he was going to be friends with Ruby and Yang, it stood to reason that he would want to be friends with their teammates as well. That reminded him. Had he ever even met their fourth?

He pondered the question as he reached his room and opened the door. As soon as he did he almost immediately regretted it, hearing Nora in mid-chatter.

"-which is why I never go into battle without a spare pair of them anymore."

Jaune closed the door and blinked, not knowing what conversation he had just missed out on. Part of him did not want to know.

Ren had not moved from his prone position. Jaune could only assume he had indeed managed to fall back asleep. That somehow many years ago his brain had evolved to be able to tune out the constant talking of his best friend as a form of survival. He envied the young man.

Pyrrha on the other hand looked utterly relieved to see him. But at the same time there was a small hint of rage in her normally warm eyes. They seemed to silently scream the promise of retribution for what he had done only minutes before.

"So... did you get your breakfast?" his partner asked.

"No..."

She smirked. "You forgot you were wearing that, didn't you?"

"Yeah..."

She nodded. He nodded back. Nothing else needed to be said.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Hopefully people don't mind the pace I'm taking. Yeah it's going to be a WhiteKnight fic. But she kind of hated him at first. Takes some time for that to change.

Questions? Comments? Concerns? ...Criticisms? I'd more me than happy to address them, just let me know.


	3. Chapter 3

_Dear Weiss,_

 _I have been receiving your letters with the regularity and expediency that you would expect from the couriers under the employ of the Schnee Dust Company. As such it is always a positive change of pace to be able to open my mail at the end of the day and read of your progress at Beacon Academy, rather than sort through the endless bureaucratic drivel that comes with my position in the Atlesian military._

 _I am pleased to hear of your efficient completion of the initiation challenges upon your arrival. I have met your headmaster, Professor Ozpin, a handful of times while in the service of General Ironwood. From my limited exposure to the man I have seen that his methods do tend to stray on the unconventional side. I am familiar with his philosophy of a trial by fire in order to weed out the unworthy from his ranks, and it fills me with pride that you were able to pass this assessment unscathed. For a team of novices to defeat a fully grown Nevermore and Death Stalker in a single day is no small feat. You should feel proud of what you accomplished that day, but never let your success make you complacent._

 _However I was most disappointed when you spoke of questioning Professor Ozpin's methodology. You must always remember that he is your headmaster. The decisions and policies of those who are in command are not always transparent to those serving under them, and it is not the place of a soldier to question their commanding officer's orders. The same applies to you, Weiss. While you may not be a soldier, nor he an officer, he is still your superior. One day you will be a huntress, and you will need to follow orders for the benefit of the people you are sworn to protect rather than wishing to satisfy your own ego. To question orders on the battlefield is to risk getting yourself or others killed. Simply because another girl was named the leader of your team rather than yourself does not mean that the decision was incorrect. It merely shows that you must work harder._

 _In your first letter you inquired about our father and how he has handled your absence. While I have not seen him in person in some time, his messages to me have increased in frequency over the past several days. Electronic mail, scroll messages and even CCT calls have become commonplace as he seeks alternative methods of securing your return to Atlas. Believe me when I say that he is still completely against the idea of you studying in Vale, and wishes you to return home in order to continue your training so that you may one day inherit the company from him. I must admit that the excessive personal calls are becoming more and more grating, and I long to return to the days where he only contacted me on official business between the Schnee Dust Company and Atlesian military._

 _Finally, while I am aware that you must be experiencing quite the culture shock being away from home for the first time, you must always remember who you are. You are a Schnee. You have a legacy of duty and honor to uphold. The world is filled with all different manner of people and perspectives vastly different from your own. And in time you will come to realize that rash behavior and a limited mindset will do you no favors. I will leave you to ponder the meaning behind these words._

 _Winter_

X

Jaune leaned back in his seat, stretching his arms up into the air and feeling a satisfying pair of pops sound from his elbows. He needed that. It had been a long day, as every day had been so far in his time at Beacon. Classes ranged from Grimm Studies under the monotonous Professor Peter Port to the unfathomable train wreck of Professor Peach's curriculum. And during it all he struggled to either not fall asleep or not die in some sort of catastrophic accident that came with the territory of attending a combat school. Still, it beat math class back in his old life.

Old life. It was still hard to believe.

No one knew that he had forged his transcripts to attend Beacon Academy. No one knew that he was a fraud. A liar. A cheat. He had very little combat training, with the limited amount he had coming from his father. The man had taught him how to wield a sword, how to hold a shield, how to strap on his armor. Although to the man's disappointment the training never really seemed to stick. He scarcely showed improvement, and the amount that he did show was simply not enough. He was seventeen now and could still barely beat his younger sisters who had gone through similar training to himself. He did not chalk this up to skill on his part, rather the fact that he was taller and naturally had more upper body strength than the girls. It was nothing to be proud of. And his father knew this too.

Unlike Jaune people knew who his father was. A huntsman. A hero. A brave warrior. Just like his grandfather. And his grandfather's father before him. And so on. Even today in this time of peace they lived in, his father still aided the military while on his own missions and was an active part in attempts to find and suppress the activities of the terrorist organization known as the White Fang. Jaune knew that it frustrated his father to not be able to face them on a conventional battlefield. No, they would never resort to such tactics. They fought in the shadows. They attacked the weak. They bombed trains, set fire to factories, used explosives to destroy dust mines and refining plants. It was a war that no army could win. Because no army could fight the spread of an ideal.

When the day came to tell his father than he had been "accepted" into Beacon the older man had been genuinely shocked. He wondered why such a prestigious school would accept a boy with no formal training from a junior academy such as Signal. In the end, much to Jaune's relief, his father accepted the fact that his son had been accepted into the school on the merits of his name alone. The Arc name stretched back many generations, and it was well-known in the military circles of Vale and beyond. Jaune was more than willing to let his father believe this was the case. The man did not need to know about his forged transcripts that said he was a far more experienced and talented combatant than he actually was.

From his seat high above the fighting arena that made up half of the classroom, Jaune watched as his new friend and member of Team RWBY, Yang Xiao Long, put the finishing touches on her opponent. And by finishing touches, he of course meant punishing blows to the face.

Her opponent, a boy with a pale light green mohawk named Russel Thrush, was staggering to his feet just in time to see the blonde girl jump into the air. She seemed hang midair for long seconds, a menacing grin on her face as she cocked her fist back ready to attack. The concussive sound of a shotgun blast emanated from the right gauntlet of Ember Celica as her fist smashed into Russel's face and sent the student flying backwards into the wall on the left side of the classroom. A moment later a buzzer sounded and the match was over.

"Yang Xiao Long is the winner," Professor Goodwitch said as she strode back toward the center of the arena. "Well done, Ms. Xiao Long."

The victorious girl pumped her fist in triumph. "Yes!" she said excitedly. She was still grinning ear to ear as she made her way off the floor.

A light applause sounded from the crowd of students with Jaune joining in a little more enthusiastically. He had no trouble supporting his friends when the time came.

"Way to go, sis!" cheered Ruby from a few seats down from where he sat.

Well, he wasn't willing to go that far. Jaune was not the type to want to draw any unnecessary attention to himself. At least not in this setting. Now if this were a dance floor on the other hand...

He looked to the wall-mounted clock in the distance. Class would be over soon. It was the last class of the day on Friday. Soon enough his first week at Beacon would be over. He will have survived five days in one of the most hostile and grueling learning environments in the kingdom. Him of all people. Inwardly beaming with pride, he couldn't help but let it spill out as a genuine smile spread across his lips. Now all he had to do was make it a few more minutes. Then freedom. Sweet, sweet freedom. The tentative plans to hang out in Vale were still out there, and whether or not they were actually going was still anyone's guess. But no matter what happened he was certain that he would have fun over the weekend. Nora would make sure of it. Because no one could stop Nora once her mind was set on a goal.

Professor Goodwitch pushed the bridge of her glasses up closer to her face a she looked down at her scroll. "We have time for one more match today before class ends."

Jaune's stomach sank at the sound of those words. _Please don't pick me. Please don't pick me._

"Would Cardin Winchester please come to the front of the class."

 _Yes!_ One down. Dodged the first bullet. Only one more to go and he would be golden. And out of all the students in the class the odds of it being him were small. There were so many people who could be picked at random. The gnawing feeling in the pit of his stomach was mixed with relief. He didn't quite know how to feel at the moment. He wasn't out of the woods yet. But the end was in sight.

So Cardin was fighting again, eh? Jaune had seen him in action a few days before. He was good. Very good. Tall, strong, and nigh invincible in a fight. He would make a great huntsman one day. He pitied whoever would be going up against the mace-wielder today.

"And will Jaune Arc come down as well."

Jaune felt a shiver run through his body. It tingled through his chest and down his arms as he realized that today was the day he would die. Naturally he was just being overdramatic in the moment, but as he stood up and began making his way down to the arena floor he felt as if he were a prisoner on death row walking to his execution. And standing down there waiting for him was the brown-haired boy who would be the one to deliver his death sentence.

His tunnel vision focused on Cardin now, all other sights and sounds around him being muted as he passed by the rows of other students on his way down. Whether or not anyone made a comment about the upcoming matchup or offered any words of encouragement or disdain were lost on him. The entire world consisted of a single fact now. That he would be fighting for the first time in front of a captive audience. His every move would be scrutinized. His every flaw on display. It was only a matter of time until the truth about him was revealed. Right? Or was he just being paranoid?

Back during initiation in the Emerald Forest things were different. No one was truly prepared for what was taking place there. He and his future friends and teammates were just winging it, making up strategies and plans as they went along. His lack of experience was no more obvious than anyone else's back then. But now here, in this controlled environment, he would have nothing or no one to blame but himself.

"The two of you will change into your battle attire and return immediately," Goodwitch said neutrally. "Do try and hurry, I would hate to keep the class after the bell should your match not be finished in time."

Jaune wanted to laugh. At least his instructor had some confidence in him. But why wouldn't she? She didn't know any better. She didn't know about his fake fighting record. He had after all been accepted into the illustrious Beacon Academy, home to the best aspiring huntsmen and huntresses in Vale. For Glynda to assume anything but him being an at least somewhat competent and experienced fighter would have been insulting under normal circumstances. But these were anything but normal circumstances. And Jaune was anything but normal.

He walked at a brisk pace down the empty corridor, not quite sure why he was even walking so fast. Shouldn't he be trying to conserve energy right now? Again he fought back a laugh. Yeah, like that would even matter. Perhaps part of him just wanted to get it all over with. A quick and painless end like ripping off a bandage in one smooth motion. Though if he were to wager on the outcome he was certain that he would be applying more bandages today than he would be removing.

The sound of a low whistle interrupted his thoughts, as well as the rhythmic clapping his footsteps made against the hard tile floor. Looking back he saw Cardin casually strolling down the hall nearly twenty paces behind. Jaune envied the boy. He was strong, capable and confident. He looked as though he didn't have a care in the world, like this sort of thing just came naturally to him. The truth was that it did. It came naturally to all of his classmates. Just not to Jaune himself.

The stench of old body odor and water from the showers emanated from the changing room the moment Jaune stepped inside. He made his way to his locker, thankfully remembering its number and location this time. After removing the black and gold-lined blazer that made up the outermost layer of his school uniform he stopped for a moment. He could leave now. He could just run away while no one was watching. None of his friends would see. None of his teammates would see. He would simply vanish and be aboard the next airship to Vale before anyone knew what had happened. No more lies. No humiliation. Just nothingness. His team would be just fine without him. Maybe even stronger. He was a weak link. He had always been weak. That was why he had to forge his transcripts.

He stood there for long seconds staring into the inside of his locker before he was broken from the intense battle in his mind by an outside voice. "You alright there, buddy?"

Turning around he saw Cardin there, strapping on his heavy silver armor over his chest. It only served to make the hulking teenager look even more intimidating than before. The brass bird emblem on his chest with its spread wings only seemed to reinforce the idea in his mind.

"Yeah," he lied. It was becoming a regular habit for the boy. "Just... thinking. Never mind."

The other boy shrugged and continued preparing his own armor. "Good luck, Arc."

Well that was nice of him at least.

A couple of minutes later Jaune was nearly finished, placing the last few pieces of his white armor plates on his shoulders. He looked down to his belt seeing Crocea Mors there, ready to be used for the first time since his first day at Beacon. He took a deep breath and exhaled, trying in vain to slow his beating heart.

"Here goes nothing," he whispered to himself as he shut his locker door and turned to go back to the classroom.

If he had thought before that he was walking to his own execution, he was deadly mistaken. Pun quite intended. A shame he would never be able to share the thought with Yang. Already his palms were sweaty. His heart still raced. This was it. Only a few seconds until it would be time to face the music. Or rather the business end of a flanged mace. Music would have been much more preferable right now. He could at least dance to that. He was good at it. Quite good, actually. But now the only music that would play would be his funeral dirge.

Okay, he had to stop thinking like that. It was doing him no favors.

Still though, it did not change the fact that he knew what was ahead of him. Besides just the door, which was literally twenty feet away. Fifteen. Ten. Five...

He reached and opened it, stepping back inside. All heads turned toward the sound of the opening door. Toward him. It was the part he hated the most. Jaune had always hated public speaking in school. With the attention of the entire class on him, with their judgmental eyes staring, he found himself stumbling over words that he knew how to pronounce. He spoke too fast at times, he spoke too slowly at others. This was just like all those times when he had given a speech in front of the class. Only now his sword arm would be doing the talking. And he was about to show the world that his sword arm was mute.

Cardin was already there waiting for him. How long had he been in the locker room preparing himself while his opponent was already in the classroom ready for action? Jaune did not know. But Professor Goodwitch did not seem upset. Not anymore so than normal, that was. She always seemed to have a less than friendly look on her face even at her best times. And when she got angry...

He shook his head clear of that particular thought. He had to focus. Focus on the match. Focus on what was standing before him. The large teen wearing the large armor carrying the large mace in front of the large audience. Why was everything so freaking large? His own tall lanky frame included?

"Are you two ready to begin?" Goodwitch asked them both.

"Yup," Cardin said nonchalantly.

Jaune couldn't muster words. He nodded in confirmation.

Glynda stepped back and off of the fighting stage. "Begin."

Jaune drew Crocea Mors from its sheath before he in turn grabbed that and activated its special ability. Well, not so special compared to the mad-scientist devices that some of his peers used, but special when compared to conventional weapons. The sheath slid open and expanded to reveal a white heater shield marked with dual yellow crescents.

There were no oohs or aahs from the crowd at the transformation. They had seen much more impressive displays already in their first week at Beacon. Nonetheless Jaune felt a bit more confident now. He was armed and armored. He was ready for battle. Carrying the same weapons that his legendary ancestors had before him, he felt unstoppable. He could take on an Alpha Beowolf alone and come out unscathed. He nodded his head. He was pumped. Adrenaline was coursing through his veins. He could win. He could do this.

Looking over to his opponent, he saw Cardin pacing back and forth, but had otherwise not advanced on his position at all. With each turn he took his head swiveled, never taking his eyes off of Jaune. It was eerie. He was like a predator. And Jaune was his prey.

"You can do it, Jaune!" he heard a tiny, but excited voice scream from the crowd of students.

"Yeah, vomit boy! Kick his ass!" another female added.

He wasn't positive who was cheering for him. Well, one of them anyway. But at least he had the support of the people on his side. Or rather the more vocal ones. Deciding that now was a better time than any, Jaune took a few tentative steps towards his opponent. The aggression prompted Cardin to do the same, who walked forward at a much brisker pace. Before Jaune knew it he was in attack range and Cardin wasted no time. With an effortless looking swing he reared back with his two-handed mace and brought it speeding forward in a hard sideways swing aimed straight at his chest. It took all he had to react in time and brought his shield up to block the attack.

The sound of the impact was deafening, and Jaune was sent flying back a good fifteen feet before he landed on his backside. For a brief moment his arm vibrated, still feeling the effects from blocking the strike. It was a good thing he had his Aura unlocked by Pyrrha. Had he not it was almost a guarantee that his left arm would be broken in several places from the blunt force trauma alone that had been delivered by the mace.

 _Okay, he hits hard. Get up, Jaune. You can do this._

Jaune stood up and prepared to fight once more, but before he could fully collect his thoughts he saw that his opponent was already on top of him once more. Cardin casually strode forward with long-legged strides, his mace now only being held in his left, dominant hand. With just as effortless of a swing as before he brought it down on Jaune from above this time. He raised his shield and stopped the strike once more, but this time he was forced down to a knee from the force behind the attack.

Again and again mace struck shield, and again Jaune winced with each impact upon his family heirloom. For a moment the attacks stopped, and he slowly lowered the defensive device to peek over it and see what was happening. But surely enough as soon as he lowered the shield he saw the mace come down again and quickly raised it back up. Another loud clang of metal reverberated throughout the classroom as Cardin's weapon hit home.

The stinging sensation in his shield arm was tingling from his fingertips to his shoulder. _This isn't working. Get up man. Get up! Come on! Fight back!_

Seconds seemed like an eternity to Jaune as he hid behind the only thing between him and complete annihilation courtesy of Cardin's flanged mace. What was he doing? What could he hope to accomplish here? Nothing. He would gain nothing by continuing to kneel down before Cardin Winchester as the larger teen laid into him with impunity. Jaune's left arm was aching, taking more damage before his Aura could relieve the stress that the crashing blows were inflicting on it. And meanwhile his right arm, still gripping Crocea Mors, was hanging down at his side. It was time to end this. It was time to use it.

His knuckles tightened as another hit sounded off of his shield. A moment later, like a coiled serpent, Jaune lashed out with his sword. The clumsy, blind blow did not hit its mark but it had done its job, forcing Cardin to back off a few paces in response to the new threat that had entered the picture. Now free from his prison on the floor Jaune stood to his full height, but still his opponent towered over him by several inches. And that height difference meant that his arm reach would be longer too. Well then, he would have to end this quickly.

Jaune lashed out with Crocea Mors left and right, each strike missing its mark but still forcing Cardin backwards. Yes, it was working. Soon the boy would be cornered. And he would be at Jaune's mercy.

More swings. More misses. _Stay still! Why won't you-_

In a flash Jaune experienced pain as he had never felt before when the mace of Cardin smashed into his breastplate and sent him flying back even further than the first time he had been struck. He coughed as he sat upright, flexing his fingers around the hilt of the blade that was still in his grasp. He looked up to see the smiling form of Cardin looking down at him from across the arena.

Picking himself up once more he dove headfirst back into the fray.

X

This was a farce. This was a complete and utter farce.

Even before the first blow had been struck in the engagement Weiss saw the glint in Cardin's eyes as he stalked back and forth like a caged Beowolf. To him this was less of a match and more of a game. And from the outset she knew who the winner would be.

She watched as the Arc boy flew backwards after taking the full force of Cardin's two-handed swing. That was to be expected. The larger boy was a powerhouse. But it was everything which had come after that made her shake her head in shame.

Using the defensive assets of one's shield was a solid strategy. That was what it was there for. To block and deflect incoming attacks. It would have been foolish not to utilize it against an aggressive opponent such as Cardin. Cowering behind it on the other hand was not the proper use of the defensive device. And that was exactly what the blonde boy was doing. It was disgusting to watch. He knelt there accepting attack after attack from his opponent, blissfully unaware of the fact that Cardin was in fact aiming for the shield with each blow. As a result Jaune's Aura was being chipped away bit by bit without him so much as even trying to fight back. It was one thing to suffer a hit while engaged in a proper combat. But to simply sit there accept his fate was completely out of the question.

The fact of the matter was that Cardin was merely toying with Jaune. He had been toying with the boy from the start. Much like a cat batting its helpless prey between its paws. Only Jaune failed to realize just how helpless he was. By aiming for the shield Cardin was not trying to defeat his opponent in a timely manner, but merely draw the combat out by slowly depleting his Aura. It was the same arrogance she had witnessed earlier in the week. It was not enough just to win. He had to make the other person look bad while doing so. And now he was doing just that in front of a live audience of their peers.

Jaune lacked confidence, that much was clear. And losing like this in front of his teammates would not help improve it. The way he hid behind his shield told her a lot about who he was as not just a fighter, but a person as well. He was afraid. Not because he was a true coward. No, it took courage to walk the path of a huntsman no matter how unskilled or inexperienced you were. Nor did he fear the pain that he would suffer in combat, as was clear by him even being here at Beacon in the first place. He was afraid of failure. Afraid of humiliation. Afraid of not knowing what to do. He was afraid that he could not get the job done. His inexperience plagued him with doubt.

Weiss' interest was slightly perked once she saw Jaune go on the offensive. Her eyes narrowed slightly the first time he swung his sword causing Cardin to move back to prevent himself from being hit. Maybe it would be more of a match than she had originally thought it would be. She was soon proven correct in her original assessment, however, as it became apparent that Jaune's swings were wild and aimless. He was overcompensating . They served no purpose other than to try and scare Cardin off and give him some breathing room. But Weiss doubted even that had been the boy's intentions. He probably thought he would actually hit something. But to an experienced combatant like Cardin avoiding them was mere child's play.

And now she was gaining insight into another aspect of his personality simply through watching his fighting style. Recklessness. As inexperienced and unconfident as he was, when he finally did go on the offensive he fought like a man with something to prove. He wanted to show everyone that he was capable of doing more than what they thought he was. He was compensating for his lack of ability and experience by lashing out and hoping against hope that he would connect. But in the end he still had no form. He had no strategy. And had Cardin wanted to he could end it all in a moment.

The sickening smack of mace on steel armor echoed through the room as Jaune was sent flying once more. He was slow to get up, but stood nonetheless.

Beside Weiss, Ruby winced in empathy. "Come on, Jaune..."

Weiss let out a small scoff. "You're wasting your breath," she said softly. "This match is over."

"No it's not," Ruby said defensively. "Look, Jaune still has over half his Aura."

The heiress looked up to the display hanging over the arena detailing the names, Auras and other details of the combatants. Jaune's Aura level was indeed over half full, which was astonishing considering the amount of punishment he had taken so far. How was he still this much in the fight? Was it because Cardin was holding back with his attacks as he toyed with Jaune? Or was Jaune's Aura level really that large and she had just not been paying attention while she studied his movements?

"For now," she admitted before her gaze was drawn back to the fight.

Weiss' chin rested atop the knuckles of her two interlocked hands as she watched. Cardin brought his mace down once more which Jaune was successfully able to block with his sword. But that still didn't matter. The strength behind the attack sent Jaune reeling back once more. Another look at the Aura levels showed that this had taken a small piece off of his meter. She shook her head again. He was a fool.

Jaune attempted to retaliate as he slashed back at Cardin, the first blow missing and the second being easily caught by the shaft of the mace. Cardin held it there for a while, his hands on the hilt and the head of his mace as Jaune pressed down with his sword in an attempt to overpower him. It did not work, and Cardin pressed upwards, knocking Jaune back a step before smacking him in the face with his hand which still gripped the hilt of the weapon.

"This is becoming painful to watch," Weiss whispered.

Ruby frowned. "But if he could just land a few good shots..."

She cut Ruby off. "He won't."

"How do you know that?"

Weiss nodded forward with her head to emphasize what was clear as day before them. Or at least it was to her. "Look and tell me what you see."

Another wild slash. Another punishing blow to the sternum courtesy of Cardin's weapon. Jaune yelled in frustration and swung once more, this time going past Cardin as he sidestepped the boy.

"He's... he's just upset," Ruby said in an attempt to stick up for her friend. "It's probably nerves. This is his first match while Cardin has already fought once."

"No, Ruby. Look at how he fights."

She watched her partner from the corner of her eye lean forward and watch what Jaune did and how he reacted to Cardin's attacks. In the end the younger girl could only frown in frustration. "I don't get it. What am I looking for?"

"Jaune is trying to play Cardin's game. He's trying to fight strength with strength. And it's a fight that he will never win."

"What do you mean strength with strength?"

"Cardin is big and strong," she explained. It reminded her of all those years ago when she had been the student learning how to use a rapier for the first time. Only now she was the one explaining fighting strategies to someone else. "He likes to go all out with his strikes when he swings his mace. But those attacks are slow. Jaune should either be parrying the attack to deflect it's power away from him, or avoiding it all together. But instead he is taking the full hit with his sword. Doing that will tire him out and cause damage to both his Aura and arm."

Ruby nodded in understanding. "I get it. What can he do now though? His Aura's almost in the red..."

It was indeed. Since she had first noticed where his Aura was he had taken several hard hits. At least it would be over soon.

"Now he loses," she answered simply.

And as if on cue the final blow was struck and Jaune was sent to the ground for the last time. The buzzer sounded once more signaling the end of the match.

The sound once more brought Professor Goodwitch out for the students to see. "Cardin Winchester is the winner," she declared. "Next time please try to make your match more efficient. If this was a true battle then the last thing you would want to do is toy with your opponent and risk injury or death to yourself or your allies."

Weiss rolled her eyes. It felt good being right. Sadly however it had been her teacher that had been able to inform the majority of the students to the truth of the matter rather than herself. There was a certain pride in being able to see things that not everyone else could, and then generously informing them of their ignorance.

The victorious teen shrugged. "You got it."

"And you, Mr. Arc," she said as her stern gaze fell over him. "Please try to refer to your scroll during combat. Doing so will help inform you when it is appropriate to attack or when it is better to move to a more defensive strategy." Her tone softened a bit. "We wouldn't want you to be gobbled up by a Beowolf, would we?"

Weiss stifled a snort. _Yeah because his defensive strategy was doing wonders for him._

"Speak for yourself," Cardin said holding his mace slung over a shoulder, looking disdainfully at his defeated foe.

Jaune ignored the jab his classmate had taken at him. "Yeah, thanks Professor Goodwitch," he said sadly.

He stood and walked off the arena floor toward the door which led back to the changing room. As he did so Weiss' eyes rested back on the warrior who had just defeated him. Cardin watched Jaune walk away the entire time, that smug look of satisfaction on his face again. He had clearly enjoyed what had taken place today, otherwise he would not have prolonged the combat as much as he did. And by the looks of it he enjoyed watching his humiliated opponent slink off in shame.

Weiss decided to update her previous analysis of Cardin Winchester. He was not just a brute. He was not just arrogant. He was not just an immature teenager. He was a bully. And out of all of the things that Weiss hated in the world, bullies were near the top of her list.

Bullies like her father.

X

Her voice cheered once more for what must have been the fiftieth time since the fight had begun. "Go, Yang! You can do it!"

"Do your best, Nora," the more subdued person said in response.

Teams RWBY and JNPR had formed a close friendship to one another since their trials in the Emerald Forest. Working together in order to defeat hordes of monstrous Grimm would do that to people. It was said that the bonds forged on the battlefield were stronger than blood, and the truth in that statement was quickly becoming apparent whenever the eight teenagers got together. Whether it was during or after class it was hard to separate them. The fact that the two leaders of the teams had forged a friendship even before initiation certainly helped matters, and together Ruby and Jaune were able to introduce the members of their respective teams to each other with ease.

The process was greatly accelerated when the students learned more about their new friends. The quiet and studious Blake quickly found a kindred spirit in Ren who was calm and just as reserved in his own right. The ever professional and courteous Pyrrha found it easily enough to get along with Weiss, who came from fame and fortune as well. Both were able to share less than flattering experiences they had had when it came to matters of the press and adoring fans. Or in Weiss' case, adoring suitors.

But perhaps the most frightening of all the new friendships was the one between Yang and Nora. The fiery blonde had a tendency to say what was on her mind with little regard to the consequences. She was passionate, competitive and hot-headed. Ruby believed that there would not be a person alive who would be able to compete with her. That was until she me Nora. Because Nora... was just Nora. Where Yang had no trouble saying what she wanted to say, Nora's mouth had no filter at all. That sexy dream she had which involved gratuitous amounts of pancakes and syrup? Why not share it over breakfast! Riding her hammer with glee as she flew through the air toward the razor sharp pincers of a Death Stalker? Look no further than the resident nutcase of Team JNPR! But perhaps what was most important was that both liked to smash things. A lot. And if there was anyone who could give Yang a run for her money when it came to feats of physical strength it was Nora.

And that was exactly what was occurring right now as the two teams sat in the cafeteria.

For the past five minutes the two girls had sat across from each other, their hands locked together and elbows firmly planted on the table. Neither had budged a bit since their arm wrestling contest had begun which spoke volumes to the strength and resolve of the two heavy hitters. Nor had either broken eye contact with the other as Nora's teal orbs stared unflinchingly into the lilac eyes of Yang. It was for all intents and purposes a stalemate.

It was less thrilling for others, however. While Blake had decided to pull a book out of some unseen pocket on her person, Ren took a more active approach and began to separate and organize the food on his plate first by color and then size. Weiss meanwhile had pulled out her scroll to work on some unknown task. And while Ruby knew that Pyrrha had also grown bored of the competition she continued to pay attention, if nothing else than to give her teammate support.

Ruby clenched her fists in excitement. She was the only non-participant who was still totally into the match. "You've got her on the ropes, Yang!"

The elder sister shrugged lightly with her unoccupied shoulder. "We'll find out."

"Huh?"

"We haven't even started yet," the blonde admitted coolly.

Weiss lowered her scroll, but her head remained tilted downward as her eyes glared up to look at the girl. The sound of her voice was like ice scraping against pavement. "What?" she asked.

"Yeah, this is just the preliminary round," Yang explained. "We're scouting out the competition."

Pyrrha's eyes squinted. She was well-versed in the realm of competitive fighting. And while testing your opponent's defenses before getting stuck in was a viable strategy she was unaware that it applied to arm wrestling as well. "Nora... is this true?"

The short redhead grinned menacingly at the question. "Oh Yang is a crafty opponent, that's for sure," she explained. "But I'm not going to play her game. This fight will be on my terms."

"Meaning...?"

"She wants me to make the first move. I can see through her attempt to play mind games with me."

Weiss' shoulders shrugged with a silent laugh. "Yeah, because Yang is the first person I would expect psychological warfare from."

Nora turned to look at the heiress. "Don't you know that arm wrestling isn't even about strength at all?"

Pyrrha nodded in agreement. "This is actually true. It is more focused on leverage and techni-"

"No!" Nora cut her off. "Arm wrestling is about psychology! It's 99% psychology, and the other half is physical. And I refuse to let her get inside my head before the match even begins."

"How would that even..."

Ren finally spoke up as he continued to prod his food with a fork. "It's best not to ask questions where Nora is concerned."

Ruby couldn't help but giggle at the sheer absurdity of the statement. She loved this. Everything about it. She had been excited enough to be attending the most prestigious combat school in Vale with her sister. But to have made such new and wonderful friends in her first week? That was icing on the cake. Or even the chocolate chips in the cookies. How she wanted some right now. But no, the cafeteria insisted on serving them "healthy" meals. Something about staying "in shape" so that they could "fight monsters" or some such nonsense. Did these people not realize that a growing girl needed her cookies and milk? Milk was in fact her primary source of growth, and they would deny her that? Because she was not about to drink milk if it could not first be used for delicious cookie dipping and suffering from crumb infestations.

The bottom line was that everything was going perfectly. She had even spoken to Weiss earlier and her partner hadn't even insulted her. Not once! That was progress in her book. Maybe tomorrow they would even be able to hold a one on one conversation without Weiss leaving irritated.

"I still believe in you, Yang," Ruby said. "Let's get this started so we can bring home a victory for Team RWBY!"

Yang's eyes narrowed, still locked on the girl opposite of her. "But that's exactly what Nora wants me to do. I'm not about to walk straight into the enemy's hand."

Ruby groaned. "That one was bad even for you."

"Meh, focus is elsewhere at the moment."

"So you two have seriously just been sitting there holding hands for the past five minutes?" Weiss asked.

Nora closed her eyes and grinned again. "That's right!"

The pale-skinned girl sighed and looked back down at her scroll. "Whatever."

Ruby looked back over at the "competition" for a few seconds before she felt a presence coming from behind. She turned to see Jaune take a seat next to her at their table.

"Hey, guys," he greeted. It was a less than cheerful sounding tone.

Ruby decided that she would attempt to fix that. "Hey, Jaune!" she said with a happy smile. "What took you so long to join us?"

He gave an indecisive shrug. "I was just taking a shower. You know, got pretty sweaty from my match."

Ruby nodded. The match had not been a pretty one. And he had spent more than his fair share of time on the dirty floor too.

She could tell he was still feeling upset about the outcome. "Well you'll get 'em next time, right?" she asked hopefully. It was as much to give him hope as it was for herself.

"Yeah." He had agreed but it sounded hollow. Like he did not believe what he was saying himself. "Next time."

"That's the spirit!" Nora said enthusiastically. "It's not about losing, but what you learn from losing! That's what leadership is all about, isn't that right, oh glorious leader of mine?"

While anyone else might have chalked up Nora's question as sarcasm, Ruby knew in her heart that Nora was being genuine. All of Nora's little pet leader names she had for Jaune came with nothing but the purest intentions and a little bit of insanity mixed in. The redhead believed in Jaune and his abilities one hundred percent. It was a good feeling to have. Just like how Yang believed in her unflinchingly despite her young age and inexperience.

"Yup," he agreed again. "I learned a lot from that match."

She decided to step in and help out Nora. "Then that's all that matters! It was one match. Your first match. No shame in losing to someone like Cardin either. I mean look at him..." she said as she trailed off to find the boy elsewhere in the cafeteria.

Looking over to where Team CRDL was sitting she saw that he was not there. Rather he was standing over another table next to theirs, his arms pressed down on its surface uncomfortably close to another student. The look on Cardin's face as he stared at the boy he was hovering over showed the threat of malice which could spill forward at any moment. Soon enough a small amount of lien was fished from the sitting boy's pocket and handed over willingly to Cardin, who walked away with a smug smile on his face. Upon returning to his own table he received high-fives from his teammates, and the four boys carried on talking and laughing like nothing of concern had even happened.

The entire atmosphere of the table changed at this display as the eight teens sat in uncomfortable silence. Even Yang and Nora had ceased their faux competition and pulled their arms back to themselves. Only Ruby found that her sister's hands were now balled up into fists in response to the blatant bullying which they had all just witnessed.

"Yes. He certainly is a tough guy," Pyrrha agreed with a rare burst of sarcasm.

Ruby nodded in agreement. The P in Team JNPR had summed up her feelings on the matter with one short sentence.

A few muttered agreements from around the table shared those sentiments with words like "jerk" and "wrong" being heard, while she was certain that she had heard Yang call him an asshole.

But it was to Ruby's surprise that the normally outspoken Weiss had not said a word. Instead she only saw her partner staring at Cardin with a cold expression which gave her chills. Combined with her almost regal demeanor and fancy white-blue attire she fit the role of an Ice Queen.


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note:** As always a big thank you goes out to everyone who cares about this story. Especially those who have shared words of encouragement in my moments of doubt. This is a lot harder than I expected it to be. RWBY is such a larger community than anything I've written for before. And I don't want to let anyone down. I really wonder how my own favorite writers on this site do what they do, and do it so well. Oh well. On with the story.

* * *

 _Dear Winter,_

 _I apologize for the delay in writing back to you, it has been busy in the past few days. Class assignments have begun to increase in frequency and have required my full attention if I am to maintain my grades. In addition I have been training on a regular basis even outside of the required curriculum in order to maintain my level of skill at peak condition. And then of course there has been team activities which I am often dragged into by Ruby and her sister. They seem to believe that participating in these events with each other and a fellow team at Beacon will help strengthen our relationships with one another. As such free time has been difficult to come by, but I have not forgotten what you have said._

 _I have reread your letter several times in trying to come to terms with what you advised. As it turns out you are correct. It would seem that even halfway around the world you still seem to know what is best for me. Just as you always have. I admit that I still do not understand the reasoning behind making Ruby the leader of our team and not me. However as you said, it is not my place to question this. Perhaps with finally being out on my own I wished to engage in petty teenage rebellion against everything which has been ingrained in me by father. I know, I should know better than to let my emotions guide me. But I shall aim to do better, to know my place on the team and serve with the distinction and honor befitting of a Schnee. I will strive to try and be a better teammate for the sake of Team RWBY._

 _I am sorry that you have to endure father's nagging on my behalf. When I decided to distance myself from Atlas, the Schnee Dust Company and himself, I was thinking only of myself and how it would be a relief to me. It did not occur to me that the consequences of my actions might extend to you as a result. The thought of having to converse with him on a regular basis is not an enviable one, and you have my sympathies for having to maintain contact with him. The fact that he is able to use the business relationship shared between the company and the Atlesian military as pretext in order to contact you for the purpose of discussing personal business is unethical. But then again it is our father that we are discussing. Please tell me if your position as a liaison between the company and military is putting any undue stress upon you as a result of my actions. I will endeavor to resolve the situation if this is the case. I know that growing up you were always there for me when it came to father's attentions. Please allow me to return the favor one day._

 _Regarding the final subject which you spoke of in your letter, I am afraid I have been unable to infer the meaning behind it. As I stated earlier, I have read the letter numerous times and have indeed pondered what you meant in your words to me. Do you wish me to consider that not everyone around me has enjoyed the privilege of growing up wealthy as I have? Thus far that is the only conclusion I have been able to come to. Please inform me if I am mistaken in this regard._

 _I hope to hear from you again soon. I know you are busy, but it was a pleasant surprise to receive a reply from you so soon after beginning my studies in Vale._

 _Yours truly,_

 _Weiss_

* * *

Alright. This was it. This was the most important mission in her young life. The biggest challenge she would ever face. The hardest fight she had encountered yet. And while the fate of kingdoms may not have rested on her shoulders, she knew that losing here could potentially cost her everything.

Ruby stood outside the door to her own dorm room, silently psyching herself up for what was about to take place. She took deep breaths as she willed her heart to stop thumping so hard in her chest. Everything was going to be fine. She was Ruby Rose. Aspiring huntress extraordinaire. Accepted into Beacon not one, not three, but _two_ years earlier than all of her classmates at Signal Academy. That had to count for something, didn't it? And Professor Ozpin had named her the leader of her team. Again, it meant something, did it not? Surely she would be able to accomplish this task. No sweat.

She pushed open the door with her free hand, juggling the box she was holding in the other, and stepped inside. It was business as usual. Blake was nowhere to be seen, most likely in the library again being the Blakeiest Blake she could be. The bunk beds teetered on the verge of collapse, only being held together by the sheer unrelenting willpower of those who occupied them. The top left corner of Yang's Achive Men poster hung annoyingly off the wall in desperate need of some more adhesive. Well, annoying to the perfectionist who was her partner, that was. And speaking of Weiss, she stood off on her side of the room adjusting the painting she had hung on the wall for what must have been the hundredth time since putting it up in her vain attempt to get it just right.

A tiny smirk curled on her lips as she watched. If she wasn't studying or training Weiss was finding some other flaw in need of fixing. And then she would go to work tampering and adjusting it until it was either perfect or ruined beyond recognition. Thankfully the girl had not yet tried any of her meddling on Ruby. Yet.

Okay. It was time to begin Operation BFF's Forever! Wait... BFFF's... BF's Forever... Operation Make Weiss My Friend!

Ruby placed the box she was carrying on the ground and got to work. "Hey, Yang," she greeted. "Guess what?"

She received no reply. Yang was currently passed out atop her portion of the bunk bed she shared with Blake, face down into her pillows with an arm hanging off the edge. Ruby didn't know what she had done to be this tired in the late afternoon. Had she stayed up all night the night before? Done an extra amount of grueling training after classes today? Was it just Yang being Yang? Ruby didn't know the answers to the questions she mentally asked herself. But that was fine. More than fine. Perfect, in fact. This was not for her benefit. She would only get in the way. Yang was merely an unwitting pawn in her grand scheme. A scheme that was so grand and perfect that Weiss would never know what hit her.

"Dad sent us a care package full of imported coffee and pastries all the way from Mistral," she continued as if Yang had indeed answered her. "Isn't that great?"

No reply again. But that was exactly what she wanted. Ruby knew that Yang was a heavy sleeper and once she had given in to slumber she would be hard-pressed to wake the girl up. The books holding her top bunk up could fall and she could collapse with her bed, and the most you would get out of her would be a sleep spoken curse word. And maybe a sleep fist to the face if you were particularly unlucky.

"How are we ever going to eat all of this? There's just so much. What with all the coffee and stuff. And I don't even drink coffee. Do you know anyone who drinks coffee?"

Weiss stepped back from the painting and looked at it. She tilted her head to the left and to the right before holding up her hands trying to figure out if she had gotten the angle just right. She stood there in silence for long seconds before giving herself a small nod of satisfaction. She had finished what was quickly becoming a daily routine. And now with that done she moved over to her bed and sat down, grabbing a textbook as she did so. She flipped it open and began reading.

"I sure hope these pastries don't go bad," Ruby said, her tone getting louder and more deliberate. "Because there are just so many I don't think the two of us can eat them all by ourselves."

She looked over to Weiss. Her partner had not been stirred by the comment. Her eyes continued to focus on the book in her hands as she read whatever it was that their homework entailed. The homework that she should probably be doing right now as well. Later. This was more important. Darn it! She would need to step it up a notch. She sneakily sidestepped a foot closer to Weiss, all the while keeping her eyes locked on Yang's sleeping body.

She mentally patted herself on the back for such a maneuver. _Ruby, you are just too smooth for your own good..._

"I can't believe how silly dad is for thinking that either of us drink coffee. If only we knew someone who enjoyed the drink for the drink itself, rather than using it to wake up in the morning and getting extremely hyper as a result. Because it's disgusting, and I don't plan on drinking any of the coffee. The coffee that dad sent us. That wouldn't cost anyone a single lien if we were to share it with them." She glanced over at Weiss from the corner of her eye. "Because sharing is what friends do with each other."

Weiss lifted her head. "Hey, Ruby?"

She gasped, and her breath got caught in her throat in anticipation. "Yes?" she asked hopefully.

"Could you please keep it down? I'm trying to study."

And with that her heart sank. All of that planning. All of the effort. All of the time she had spent calling her father back in Patch, asking him to send her and Yang something while he was away on a mission in Mistral. All for nothing. She had even specifically asked for coffee to be included, which surprised Taiyang considering that neither of his daughters liked the drink. But he had complied nonetheless. And it had sadly been in vain.

"Oh. Sure..." she said sullenly.

"Besides, I don't think Yang can hear you. She's sleeping."

Ruby looked back to her sister. Still out cold. But of course she already knew that. Did Weiss really think so little of her that she wouldn't be aware of the fact that Yang was asleep? Did the heiress really believe that her partner lacked perception and common sense to such an extreme degree? Ruby knew Yang far better than Weiss ever would. It was all part of the plan. And now the plan lay in ruins.

Her shoulders slumped forward while letting out a sigh. "Yeah. Yeah she is."

"You should probably start studying too," Weiss said with a tap of her fingernails on the hard cover of her textbook. "The last thing I need is to look bad by having a partner who slacks off and gets bad grades."

Wait. What was this? Did Ruby detect a small iota of caring from her cold-personalitied... her cold-demeanored... her... somewhat cold and mean partner? No matter how selfish and self-serving the care may have been, was it there? Could it be?

She did not dare hope against hope. But she could not help from letting the emotion slip into her voice when she spoke. "Are you asking me to... study with you?"

Silence hung in the air. Ruby held her breath waiting for the answer. What was only milliseconds seemed to last for eternity as she waited. The waiting! The pain of waiting! She was going to explode if she did not receive an answer soon. She would first turn an unhealthy shade of blue from her lack of oxygen and then that would combine with the redness of her attire and somehow there would be a chemical reaction of purple explosion...ness. Ruby saw it all come to pass in her mind's eye in the time between asking her question and the moment Weiss opened her mouth to speak her reply.

Weiss looked up, her face a mask of confusion. "How would that even work? I've already read half of the chapter from the assignment. I'm way ahead of you right now."

Her heart shattered again. _Oh, Weiss. Why must you play this game of emotions with me?_

"Heh, yeah... you're right." she agreed. "So... what's the chapter about?"

Weiss tilted her head, genuinely surprised that Ruby had bothered to ask a question concerning their school work. "It's about the events that led up to the Faunus War."

"Oh, right," Ruby remembered. "We have that paper Dr. Oobleck assigned us coming up."

"Correct. And I want to be well prepared for it and have every angle covered."

"Yeah, that's cool. I might start doing some light reading too so I won't be too clueless when I start on my paper next week." It was not something she otherwise would have done on her own. But she wanted to impress Weiss by showing the girl that she could be proactive too if she wanted.

"Have you not even begun writing your paper yet?"

Ruby's nose scrunched up at hearing this. "Wait, you've already started yours? But it's not due until next Friday."

"Being on top of your assignments is a must," the heiress explained. "In our line of work there's no telling what unforeseen circumstances may arise which will hinder our ability to complete our assigned homework."

"Yup, I totally agree with that," Ruby lied. But she had to do something, anything to try and win Weiss over. "So, you maybe wanna... do some research together? Maybe check out what Blake is doing in the library? Spend some quality team time together doing the whole school thing?"

Weiss froze. Her eyes looked back down to the open book in her lap before replying. "No, I'm quite alright, thank you."

Well, it had been a civil decline at the very least. That was an improvement... right? Weiss hadn't even bitten her head off for bothering her. Score one for Ruby Rose! Had there been a scoreboard it would read, Ruby: 1 Weiss: 22. But she was closing the gap. Already she had doubled her previous score. Wait, what was the double of zero? Wouldn't it still be zero? Math was hard. Why couldn't it be more like killing Grimm? If only there were a way to phrase this as a word problem involving the square root of the number of Grimm she had killed last week...

In any case Ruby ultimately felt defeated once more. She did her best to hide it in her voice. "Oh, okay. Maybe I'll go check out what Blake's doing then and leave you alone to study. I'll tell her you said hi."

Weiss nodded, not looking up from her text. "That would be nice of you."

Ruby wasn't sure if there was a double meaning in her partner's reply. For all she knew Weiss really would be happy if she left her alone right now. And truthfully, the more Ruby thought about it, the more that idea made sense than giving her regards to Blake. What had seemed like a minor victory had quickly been squashed into another depressing defeat.

True to her word Ruby turned around and moved toward the door. She looked to take another glance at Yang on top of the other beds. Still asleep. Blissfully unaware of the pain her little sister had just endured. How she envied Yang's carefree nature at times. Her sister just seemed to go with the flow. She wasn't picky about much of anything that wasn't her hair. Where do you want to eat? What movie sounds fun? Does this skirt look good on me? All questions you could ask Yang to which she would reply, "I'm cool with whatever you want."

But that wasn't who Ruby was. She cared too much. Not just about friends and family. About everything. That was why she had wanted to become a huntress in the first place. Because she cared about humanity. She wanted to be the hero like in all the old songs and stories. She wanted to save the day. Slay the dragon. Rescue the princess. She wanted to help. Not for fame or rewards. But because it was the right thing to do. Because it's what her mother had done. As her father had told her so often when he looked into her wide, silver eyes, she was her mother's daughter. And Ruby never missed the fear in his voice when he spoke these words.

Turning the handle and pulling the door open, Ruby left Weiss to her studying. She was happy the girl could not see the disappointed look on her face when she left.

* * *

Weiss sighed after she saw the door close. What an ordeal that had been.

She lifted her legs up to the bed and spread out across it, laying her open textbook atop her chest. Her eyes stared at the underside of the top "bunk" of the bed she shared with Ruby. That girl would be the end of her one way or another, she had decided. It had taken all the willpower in her body not to snap at the girl and tell her to cease her incessant talking. But she could not do that. Not after being reminded of her duty to not only her family, but to the world. Not after what she had read from Winter.

Winter. She continued looking at the shoddily assembled bed that hung suspended over her. She had always wanted bunk beds as a child. But her father would not let her have them. She could not understand why he had to be so difficult. He had claimed that no daughters of his would share a bed like peasants living in a hovel. No crude and unsophisticated behavior would be tolerated from his blood. Bunk beds were for immature children. But that was what children were. Immature. And she had been a child. So why had he not wanted to let her be one?

And speaking of children, her thoughts drifted back to her partner. She wondered just how innocent and naive the girl was if she truly believed that her less than subtle hints were going unnoticed. Weiss had picked up on her intentions from the moment she had randomly brought up the idea of being excited over coffee. Despite her best efforts Weiss had gotten to know her partner over the past couple of weeks while attending Beacon. Coffee was not Ruby's forte. Cookies on the other hand...

She closed her eyes, not so much because she was tired but more because she just did not want to deal with the world right now. External stimulations would only make her think. And thinking could be a very bad thing when you were left alone with just your thoughts. She gave the piano player his cue, and the song began to play in her mind.

And it would have, had she not been suddenly jarred from her serenity by the outside voice. "Weiss."

Her eyes burst open and her body made a startled jump at the unexpected noise. She looked over to see Yang laying on her side, an arm propping her head up from her mattress.

The blonde looked down at her, the expression on her face unreadable. Usually there was a mischievous smile of sorts, or eyes that were constantly searching for something to entertain her. But not now. Now she only lay there as if waiting for Weiss to acknowledge her.

"Yang," Weiss said evenly. She frowned for a moment and looked down at the book on her chest. Taking and closing it, she placed it off to the side of her bed before returning to a sitting position with her legs planted on the floor. "Did you just wake up?"

"Nah," she said before she too got up to a sitting position, her legs crossed underneath her body.

Another sigh. She worked her tongue around her cheeks as she thought of how to phrase what came next. "How much did you hear?"

"Enough," she said ominously.

Well that was good enough for her. She knew how to read between the lines. "Oh." It was all she could manage at the time.

"I may be a heavy sleeper, but sometimes Ruby doesn't know how loud she gets." A small smile curled on her lips. "You may not have noticed this about my sister, but she sometimes isn't the most socially aware person in the world."

Weiss laughed. Genuinely. For the first time ever Yang had actually said something funny. "Really? I hadn't noticed," she joked.

"Yeah..." Yang paused and looked down at her legs. Weiss could have sworn the other girl had whispered something about normal knees as she did do. "She was always a little bit different. Did you know that?"

Weiss could tell this was about to become personal. All the signs were there. The usually cool and carefree Yang Xiao Long was being serious. She was taking time to actually filter her thoughts before she opened her mouth. All of these things were highly unusual, bordering on non-existent when it came to the girl. At least that had been the case in Weiss' experience. So she would indulge the blonde. It's not like it could do any harm right now, could it?

"I think I may have been able to make an educated guess," she answered diplomatically.

Yang chuckled. "Yeah, I'd expect that from you."

She didn't know whether that was a compliment or an insult. Could Yang have been saying that Weiss was indeed a perceptive and intelligent girl? That she could read a person and get to know them on a personal level relatively easily? Or had Yang implied that she had simply always had a negative opinion of her sister? That no matter what, Yang would always assume she would think the worst of Ruby?

"I see," she said neutrally. It was not an answer that committed to either theory. But it satisfied the desired flow of the conversation they were having.

"Ruby was different from most girls," Yang continued. "When most girls wanted to be the princess, she wanted to be the knight who saved them. The hero. And later on, the huntress. Most girls wanted to play with dolls, Ruby would want to make them fight each other." She smiled again, looking down at her lap as she reminisced about their childhood together. "And when the other girls dressed up and tried to do each other's hair, Ruby made weapons and armor out of cardboard and went around challenging the boys to duels."

It made sense. Weiss could see it all now, a small... well, smaller Ruby than she was now, dressed up in a tiny black skirt and red cloak, running around town with a crudely made cardboard scythe swinging it at all the boys her age, knocking them down, getting into fights. It was an amazingly fitting picture she was painting in her mind about her partner. And what was more amazing was just how clearly she could imagine it all happening, complete with the high-pitched, shrill voice of an even younger version of the girl screaming battle cries and taunting her opponents as they fled before her miniature might.

"Yeah," she agreed. "That sounds about like our leader."

"So yeah, I'm one of the only people who ever stuck by her back then. Later on when she went to Signal she met some people she became friends with. They were like her, after all. Girls and boys who all wanted to be huntresses and huntsmen. So they got along pretty well. Until she had to leave them."

She knew all too well about that. Ruby was only fifteen years old. Two years younger than herself and any of the other first year students at Beacon Academy. This fact had actually been one of the main points against her being the leader of Team RWBY. How was someone two years her junior allowed to boss her around and make decisions for her? She supposed it no longer mattered. Weiss had come to terms with her position on the team, as well as Ruby's. She was going to try and be a better teammate. It was why she had not snapped at her leader only minutes earlier. But even then she could still not commit herself to giving Ruby what she wanted from her...

The blonde looked off to the side now, staring out the window into Beacon's courtyard. "And now she doesn't really know anyone here. There's me. And on the first day she met vo... Jaune. But other than that, she didn't know anyone until teams formed up after initiation. It was hard for her, even if she wouldn't admit it. I saw and I knew. Because I know her better than anyone in the world. Even better than our dad." She looked around the room now, focusing on anything except for Weiss herself. "She was hurting, Weiss. Trying her best to fit in and failing. And that hurt her."

Weiss nodded silently. She had not expected this. Yes, Yang liked to talk. She was the loudmouth of the team. And that was saying something with a team which included Ruby. Yang would talk trash, make inappropriate jokes and generally be an annoyance to anyone who did not share her sense of humor. But this side of her was something Weiss never would have anticipated.

"And for some reason she's taken a liking to you," Yang said, her lilac orbs now gazing intently into Weiss' own. "I don't know why. But she opens up around you in ways she doesn't with other people except for Jaune and me. But even then she and Jaune don't have the relationship that you two do. You're her partner, Weiss. And that means a lot more to her than you think it does."

It was getting far too personal now. But Weiss could not very well get up and leave. Not after Yang had just poured her heart out about her sister. This moment, right here and now, meant something special to Yang. She knew that. She could read the signs. Even someone who had not grown up accustomed to wealthy social circles and intrigue of Atlas could have seen that the blonde was going somewhere with this. To leave now would be to cause a rift in Team RWBY that could very well be irreparable. Her moment of relief could come back to haunt her, and her goal of being the best teammate she could be would end in utter failure.

So she said the only thing she could think to say. The only thing that would not force her on one side or the other. "I see."

A pause. Not for the purpose of dramatic effect, but that was ultimately the result. For long seconds both sat there waiting for the conversation to take its inevitable direction.

"So why'd you ignore her, Weiss?" she asked. "She was trying so hard in her own awkward, adorable way."

And there it was. The million lien question. Even though she saw it coming from a mile away, Weiss had no idea how she was going to answer it. Even if she did know the answer, she did not know if she could explain it. Or even if she could explain it, if she in fact wanted to.

"It's..." Weiss started and then stopped. "It's complicated. I'm not interested in being friends."

"What's complicated about being friends?" There was a hint of aggression in her voice now.

"It's just complicated, okay?"

"What, too many other friends to hang out with already? If there are I haven't seen them."

Weiss frowned. "No, that's not it. I just... I just don't want to."

"What, is my sister not good enough for you? Not rich enough? Not fancy enough? Huh?"

It had escalated quickly. Yang hopped off of the top bunk of her bed and stood in the middle of the room now. While her semblance was not active, Weiss could still feel the heat emanating from the girl as her anger became more apparent.

The interrogation had caught her by surprise. Weiss hurried to reply. "What? No! Why would you think that?"

"Because all you ever do is insult her! Call her names, tell her how immature she is!"

"Maybe if she showed a little more maturity then I wouldn't feel the need to point it out."

Yang's eyes narrowed, offended that Weiss had confirmed her own words. "What do you want from her? She's fifteen. She's a kid. We all are. Maybe you should try it out one of these days."

Weiss was indeed just a child. Seventeen. Just like Yang. But she certainly did not feel it. At her young age she had already felt the burden of the world on her shoulders. The burden of carrying a family name that no one else could ever understand. What did Yang know about being the heiress to the largest dust company in Remnant? What did she know about a father who demanded perfection from his children? A father who saw things like youthful fun and the innocence of childhood as obstacles that not only needed to be overcome, but snuffed out entirely. In the end Weiss had been deprived of what nearly every other child in Remnant had experienced.

Her harsh reality gave credence to her next words. "Well maybe some of us are simply more mature for our age than she is."

"Even if that is true you don't have to call her out on it every single day!"

Weiss' own anger was bubbling close to the surface now and threatening to spill out. "Well maybe I just call it how I see it. Is there something wrong with being honest?"

"There's being honest and there's being a complete unnecessary jerk!"

Weiss stood as well, taking a step forward closer to Yang. "Oh I'm a jerk? Maybe you should show Professor Port the picture that Ruby drew of him and we'll see how much of a jerk he thinks she is!"

The aforementioned incident had taken place in Professor Port's class several days prior. During one of their teacher's many stories, this one about how he had conquered the fabled "Greater Horny Boarbatusk of Southern Vacuo", Ruby and Yang had engaged in some less than dignified joking about the nature of the encounter. The two had disrupted class with their immature giggling, but no consequences were had. In the end no one but the three of them knew the exact nature of the disruption. Had Weiss not already come to terms with her situation on Team RWBY she was sure that she would have done something reckless in that moment.

"You can't possibly compare a little fun to what you've been doing!" Yang said pointing a finger accusingly at her.

"I'll do whatever I want, thank you very much!"

"Spoken like a true rich snob!"

It was Weiss' turn to gesture accusingly at the girl in front of her. "How dare you bring money into this! This has nothing to do with me or my family's wealth!"

"Okay, good," Yang said, smiling in disbelief as she spoke her next words. "Because all Ruby's ever wanted was to be your friend. Not because of how much money you have or your stupid family name. But because she likes you as a person. Which amazes me because of what a cold-hearted bitch you are!"

And with that one magical word time had stopped. Both girls stood there, rage in their eyes as they stared one another down. Both waited for the other to utter the next word, either Weiss' retaliation or Yang's continued assault. But neither came. Instead both pairs of eyes were drawn downward to Weiss' arm as it hung at her side.

Weiss stood there for long moments, her hand shaking. She had nearly lost control and slapped her teammate across the cheek after her last remark. But she held firm. She restrained every thought in her mind telling her to teach the blonde girl a lesson. Her struggle did not go unnoticed by Yang, who looked down at the open-palmed hand that was just a second away from connecting with her face.

The heiress suppressed the urge, forcing herself to calm down. Not because she felt that Yang deserved the mercy. But because it had to be done. She had to be the best teammate she could be.

Instead she could only reply in a low, lifeless tone. "Why do you even care?"

The temporary silence had dampened Yang's own fiery temper as well. "Because she's my baby sister," she explained softly. "And I'd do anything to make her happy."

"Even nearly start a brawl with her partner," Weiss said knowingly.

"Even that," Yang agreed.

They stood there, again not saying anything. The silence was deafening though, and both were uncomfortable with what had just taken place. Deep down neither wanted it to continue. Neither desired the conflict.

Weiss was the first to back down, taking a step back and returning to her position on her bed. Yang would do anything for her baby sister. Just like Winter had. All the times growing up back in Atlas that Winter had protected her came rushing back to her mind. It had not just been emotionally, as Yang was doing here.

She exhaled. She closed her eyes, sitting on the mattress for long seconds. Eventually she heard Yang move and sit on Blake's portion of the bed opposite her.

"I don't have friends," she said suddenly.

"What do you mean?"

Weiss opened her eyes again, looking down at the portion of floor between her feet. She rubbed them together nervously. "Growing up I didn't have friends."

"Oh," Yang said before pausing. Another long silence hung in the air. "Why not?"

"It's complicated," Weiss explained. "Like I said before."

Yang hummed softly to herself. "Do you wanna talk about it?"

 _Maybe._ Weiss snorted a small laugh. "Not really."

The tension in the room may have eased, but it was replaced by an almost equally uncomfortable awkwardness. She could tell by Yang's short replies. "Oh," she repeated. "Okay."

Weiss brought her hand up to scratch an imaginary itch on her forehead, using the palm of her hand to stealthily wipe away a tear that was forming in her eye. "I'm going to go for a walk. Get some fresh air."

"Yeah," Yang agreed. "Sounds good."

Weiss stood, walking quicker than normal toward the door. But she did not go so fast as to reveal to the other girl that she was fleeing from the room. She could never let Yang see any sign of weakness from her. Because as her father had taught her. Weakness got you killed.

* * *

Fresh air. Just what she needed.

Weiss shoved the door of Beacon's dormitory open and stepped out into the warm Spring air. The sun had long since began its gradual descent on its way below the horizon, and soon it would be evening. All around her the signs of the season's arrival were showing. New leaves budded on the branches of trees scattered around Beacon's courtyard. The occasional chirp could be heard from birds that sat atop the light posts and stone architecture of the school's buildings. Even the smell of the air was pleasant. It was shame her mood did not match her surroundings.

She had nearly broken. Nearly showed weakness. Nearly admitted something deeply personal about herself to the annoying, talkative girl who was on her team. And why? Why had she done so? To deescalate the situation? To simply get Yang off of her back? Or was it because she truly wanted to share her pain with someone for once?

Regardless of the reasons she knew it had been a mistake. What would Winter have thought of her shedding a tear like that? Would her perfect sister think any less of her? Her older sibling was well known for the cold, emotionless mask that she wore both on the battlefield and in civilian life. One was hard-pressed to ever gauge her intentions or read her emotions. For all the world knew she had no emotions. Every facial movement, every gesture she made, they were all by design. She was the perfect diplomat. The perfect liaison between Atlas and the Schnee Dust Company. Because she knew how to play both sides without ever revealing her own hand.

Weiss wished she could be as strong as the woman. The woman who had escaped the clutches of her family and was now forging her own destiny.

She walked alone with no real destination in mind. All around her she saw other students walking and chatting, some busy heading to some unknown destination, others simply hanging out with their friends on the campus. For all of her fame and wealth she envied them. Because they had friends. They knew how to make friends. It had been so long she wondered if she still knew how. They were able to trust their friends. Would she ever be able to do the same again without expecting history to repeat itself? Look at them, running around having fun without a care in the world. And what did they know about the world anyway? What did they know about reality outside of the walls of their parent's homes? Outside the walls of Beacon? How wonderful it must be to be so innocent. But knowing what she did would being innocent and ignorant truly be better than knowing the harsh realities of life? The old saying told of ignorance being bliss.

Reaching one of the large trees she leaned back against it and sank to the grass below. Her head rested against its trunk, thankful for not having to support her own tired body anymore. She was not sleepy. But she was emotionally drained. And she did not want to be awake anymore to deal with it.

Her eyes closed to see into the past. _Fire. Burning._

They had simply been in the wrong place at the wrong time.

The images were as clear as if they had happened yesterday. _Bullets. Blood. White masks._

It hadn't been their fault. It was hers.

The sounds still vibrated in her ears. _The wailing of ambulance sirens. The wailing of the wounded._

Because that was the price of fame and fortune. That was the price of her family name.

She had been at the hospitals when all had been said and done. _The sterile stench of their misery was still present in her nose. The sobs of their parents still sounded when they came to claim their children. The looks of scorn and hate flashed in her mind._

And anyone who got too close became a target. Both intentionally and indiscriminately. Because terrorists did not care from where the blood flowed. And her friends and family were usually the ones who suffered the consequences.

Weiss took a deep breath. She was frowning. Frowning was not allowed in public. She went through her routine a few times as large, happy smiles spread across her lips. Because she always had to look her best in public. Don't bring down the family name. Frowning causes wrinkles. I gave you everything and you still want more? You're lucky your mother isn't sober enough to see this.

Fists clenched. Her arms shook even more than they had when she had been but a moment from striking Yang. Only now the target of her anger was nowhere to be seen. He was thousands of miles away in Atlas.

 _Deep breaths, Weiss. Breathe in. Breathe out. Breathe in. Breathe out._

She remained there for minutes. She did every trick she knew. Breathing exercises. Counting. Even attempting to clear her mind and meditate. But in the end the only thing that helped to calm her was the piano. As it played its familiar tune she lost herself to the words she sang again. Not out loud, as she had at the last concert she performed before leaving Atlas. But the words sounded in her mind all the same.

When her eyes opened the sky was noticeably darker. Swirls of red, pink and orange mingled with blue as the sun dipped further down, its rays no longer blinding to look at. How long had she sat there? How many times had she gone through the song? Had she fallen asleep? In the end she did not know the answers, but she still felt exhausted all the same. And thirsty.

Picking herself up, Weiss made her way back to the dorms in search of something to quench her thirst. Ruby had not been wrong. She did enjoy coffee. Most people her age did not, and she was fine with being an anomaly. Standing out was something she had done all of her life whether she liked it or not. So why not continue to play the part?

Reaching down into a small pocket in her battle skirt she felt around for a few lien that were somewhere pressed up against her scroll. Finding it at last she picked out a single lien note and made her way to a vending machine that was at the end of one of the corridors. She passed by the rooms of her fellow classmates as she went, each door containing a different team. She wondered if she would ever meet any of them. If she would ever know any of their names. What stories did they have to tell? What might they go on to achieve in life? How many would die painful deaths in this life that they've chosen?

She shook her head and by the time she reached the machine the thoughts had cleared from her mind. The bulky device as colored purple with the words "People Like Grapes" plastered on the front of it. She stood there dumbfounded for a moment. Yeah. Everyone likes grapes. Who's stupid idea for a slogan or brand name was this?

Looking over the choices she finally found what she had wanted. The twenty ounce bottle of iced coffee may not have been the finest blend or the best tasting thing in Vale but it would suffice for now. The vending machine gobbled up the lien note she slipped into the slot and a few seconds later she heard the telltale sound of the bottle come tumbling down and into the bottom shelf. She reached down to grab it and twisted the top off with a satisfying pop. The cold liquid felt wonderful, and would be a much needed boost of caffeine for her weary mind.

She was broken from her stupor to see a door open down the hall. Mr. tall, blonde and scraggly himself emerged and turned to walk away from her to some unknown destination. Her eyes narrowed as she saw another person enter the hall walking the opposite direction towards him. What a coincidence. An unfortunate one for Jaune. The same boy who had found himself in a number of coincidental situations with Jaune for the past week.

As the two boys neared each other it seemed as if nothing would happen. Then when they were within arm's reach of one another Cardin stuck his foot out in Jaune's path causing the blonde boy to trip and stumble forward, falling on his hands and knees.

"Oh come on!" she heard him cry from down the hall.

Cardin shrugged and looked back. "Whoops. My bad, Arc," he said casually.

As the larger boy's head turned back around however she saw the shit-eating grin on his face. More fun and games at the expense of others courtesy of Cardin Winchester. The thoughts of her father returned to the heiress.

As Weiss stood leaning against the wall near the vending machine Cardin stepped close to purchase a drink of his own. Grabbing a large stack of lien from his pocket he sorted through them to find the appropriate amount for his needs. She wondered how much of that money was his own and how much he had extorted out of others. Jaune included.

What was his damage? What was his excuse? Weiss knew that she may have been cold and aloof. But she was not cruel for the sake of cruelty. When she had been hard on Ruby before it had not been for no reason. The girl had shown utterly careless behavior and reckless showmanship during their time together in initiation. She had acted immature and childish afterward. And Weiss had merely pointed these things out to her, hoping that the girl would improve herself so long as they were to be partners. In the end however it would not be her leader who wound up changing her behavior, but rather Weiss herself.

To do what Cardin was doing, to bully someone for the fun of it because they were weaker than you, was wrong. She never dreamed that she could be stronger than Winter, and it would break her heart if her sister were to ever mock her or abuse the power she had over her. Someone in a position of power or authority should never be allowed to do such a thing in her mind.

She took another sip of her coffee. And then she spoke, looking down at the half empty bottle as she did so. "You must feel like a big man to pick on someone so much weaker than you."

Cardin stopped short of putting his own note into the machine and turned to look at her. "What?"

"I saw what you just did," she explained. "I've seen it since the first week of classes."

The boy smiled, running a hand through his hair. "Oh so you've been noticing me. I guess it's only natural with me kicking ass every time I step out onto the combat floor."

Weiss laughed at his terrible attempt at insinuation. "Please. As if I'd ever go for someone like you."

"Whatever," he said as he fed his lien in and made his selection from the machine. A few seconds later he grabbed the soda and looked back to her. "Why'd you talk to me then?"

"Are you dense? I told you already. Because I saw what you did."

"And? I'm just having a little fun. Two buddies paling around. Jaunie-boy knows this too. So chill out okay? Why do you care?"

Weiss smiled for a moment before putting on one of the many masks in her arsenal. Her tone became formal, and her face seemed to become warm and caring. "As a member of the Schnee family, we are well known for being philanthropists and helping out those who are less fortunate than us." She looked him squarely in the eyes. "Oh I'm sorry, is that too big of a word for you to handle? Phil-an-thro-pist?"

His eyes squinted as he looked at her. "What's your problem anyway? If Jaune doesn't have a problem with this then why do you?"

She already knew the answer. Because people who were being bullied rarely ever stood up for themselves. They would just go with it hoping that the problem would resolve itself and go away. But that never happened. Ignoring the problem only served to embolden the bully. And she knew that Jaune would never fight back. He could run, but he would never fight. Because to fight back would alter the status quo forever, for better or for worse. Perhaps they were more alike than they realized.

Her own gaze grew dark to counter his own. "Because I'm sick of seeing you act like you're so tough when in reality you're nothing but a talentless brute who relies more on brawn than any actual skill. Who knows, maybe you're just compensating for something downstairs."

"Look you'd better back off, scar-face," he said, pointing to her face as he did so. "I don't know what your problem is, but you should just mind your own business."

If Weiss had been angry before, she was utterly enraged now. The boy had the audacity to point out the blemish on her face. A scar that he was unaware of how she even received. Or why. Because he knew nothing. He was ignorant trash. She rested a hand on Myrtenaster. But she knew she could not blow up again. Not after what had happened with Yang. Wear the mask. Own the mask.

Deflect the insult. Make a joke about him to take the attention off of herself. Control the conversation. Keep him on the defensive. The thoughts spun in her mind as she quickly came up with her response. "You know it's funny," she said offhandedly. "With a little bit of proper training I'm sure even Jaune could defeat you with no difficulty."

The remark was supposed to have been an insult. But if it had struck him as one he did not show it. It was Cardin's turn to laugh now, placing his free hand on a hip as he did so. "Wow you must think you're hot shit if you believe you can teach him to beat me. You wanna prove it?"

The challenge struck her hard. She had not expected anything like that to come out of this conversation. Weiss did not consider herself a gambler. There was too much to be left to chance when fate was taken out of her hands. And control over herself; her words, her actions, her life itself, was never to be taken away from her. At least under normal circumstances.

These were not normal circumstances. She stood toe to toe with the avatar of an enemy she had never defeated. A war which she had never won. Perhaps he was not her enemy in body, but he was in spirit. Maybe this time she could fight instead of run. And maybe this time she would be able to win.

She shrugged. "What do you have in mind?"

"Do it. Train him. Let's see what makes you think you're so much better than the rest of us. If he can beat me I'll gladly admit you're a better fighter than me." He laughed for a few seconds as if his last statement was a joke. "Like that'll ever happen."

Weiss considered her options. This had turned into nothing more than a staring contest. And whoever blinked first would lose. Whoever backed away from the confrontation would be admitting defeat. To backpedal now would allow him to win. It would all but tell Cardin that he was better than her. If there was one thing Weiss had in abundance it was pride. It was in fact the only thing she had that was hers alone. It was not bought and paid for by her family's money. And she was not about to let him step on it.

No. She could do this. She was Weiss Schnee. Under her guidance anyone could be trained to beat the mindless animal known as Cardin Winchester. Even a fool like as Jaune Arc.

She nodded politely. "I accept."

He flashed another grin. "Okay. And since I'm such a nice guy I'll even give you until the end of the semester to prepare him for his beating. That should give you plenty of time to teach him a thing or two before he loses again."

He was still as arrogant as ever. But not for long. Not if she had her way. And she was determined to have her way. He would be humbled. And he would know of her superiority not only as a fighter, but as a person. He would know her worth. Everyone would.

"You're too kind." Her words dripped with sarcasm.

"Aw, thanks," he replied in kind. He turned to walk away from her, but stopped after a few feet before looking back at her. "And good luck. You two will need it."

Weiss only rolled her eyes as she watched him stroll down the hall, whistling without a care in the world.

She took another sip of her iced coffee which had gone untouched since the conversation began. It slowly dawned on her just exactly what she had agreed to do. To teach Jaune Arc to fight. And not just fight. Defeat the boy who had already dealt him a crushing defeat. Starting with a blank slate was out of the question. She would be working with damaged goods.

Damaged goods. The thought made her breathe out a light, almost silent laugh. What a proxy war it would be indeed.

Teaching someone to defeat Cardin would normally not be too much of a challenge. But from what she had seen Jaune was anything but normal. She was quickly learning that nothing about this situation was normal. She felt a hint of regret in her chest as she reflected on the task that was ahead of her. This was going to be a lot of work. But she was Weiss Schnee. And when her mind was set on a goal she would achieve it.

There was no turning back now.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Alright, we've finally arrived at the beginnings of the main plot of the story here, the part that's in the description. I know some people have been getting a bit anxious, and for that I apologize. I was very much so taking the slow burn approach. Maybe too slow. Yeah it's taken four chapters, but I wanted the characters to feel fleshed out and have hopes and fears that exist outside of just being in a relationship with each other. So not every scene or problem they have will be designed to inch them closer to romance. This is also why I'm including people like Ruby, Yang, Nora and soon others so prominently. I want the story to have more characters with depth than just Jaune and Weiss. So... yeah. That really stretches things out.

Meanwhile this was a very Weiss-centric chapter here. After all the Jaune we got last time hopefully it's not too bad. More Jaune to come next chapter. And then after that things will even out. The last scene of this one I actually rewrote large chunks of 3 times trying to feel okay with it. And each rewrite had a very different feel to it as I experimented with all kinds of moods and motivations. The truth is I really struggled to put into words what I was trying to convey. Hopefully it turned out halfway decent.

I find Weiss to be a very fascinating character. There's a lot that's left unsaid about her in the series, but it's painted pretty clear in the songs. Because when you listen to Mirror Mirror parts 1 and 2 you learn she's had a very fucked up past. That girl has deep-rooted issues. Especially daddy issues. And that definitely affects any kind of relationship she has. Romantic or even just friendship.

So anyway, that about sums up my thoughts and reasoning for doing what I did. More to come soon. The stuff you've been waiting for.


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note:** As always many thanks go out to those who continue to do all sorts of wonderful things with this story. I still can't believe how many people have this on their favorites and follows, and how many are reviewing. And of course thank you for sticking with me while I continue to build up towards all of the fun stuff you want. The pizzas are coming. If you get that reference. And hey, it's only been two weeks since I posted the story. So at least this slow burn is progressing quickly! Yay for paradoxes.

Hopefully you enjoy.

* * *

 _Dear Winter,_

 _I apologize for not writing to you for the past several days, but there have been very few incidents that would have been worthy of your time in what I know is a very busy schedule. Recently however this has changed._

 _In the time since I have last written to you I had a most unpleasant conversation with my teammate Yang Xiao Long, the sister of my team leader, Ruby. Yang revealed a great many details to me about her younger sister and this has made me start to reconsider my opinion on both girls. The relationship that they share reminds me a lot of you and me. Yang is always looking after Ruby and would stop at nothing to protect her. No matter what must be done or how unpleasant the outcome may be, she would do anything for Ruby. I see a lot of you in her. No matter how different your personalities and levels of maturity are, it would seem that deep down older sisters are all the same. And that has gotten me thinking about what similarities that Ruby and I must share as a result of both being younger sisters, much to my chagrin. I have perhaps been a little too hard on the girl. I may come to find that we too share similarities if I were to allow myself a chance to see them._

 _There has also been a most surprising development which you may find amusing._

 _As a result of a wager I have made with another student here at Beacon Academy by the name of Cardin Winchester, I have taken on an apprentice. Not an actual, official apprentice, mind you, but there is a student I intend to train for the purpose of defeating the boy I made the wager with. Said boy insulted both my personal honor and the honor of the Schnee family and I decided that it had to be defended. And the best way of doing this is by training an absolute lost cause of a student by the name of Jaune Arc in order to defeat him._

 _To say that Jaune is a neophyte would be an understatement. I have witnessed his combat skills in class on two separate occasions and they are lacking in both proper form and any semblance of strategic thinking. As such he has been defeated in both instances, one in spectacular fashion to the very boy I have made my wager with. Therefore the goal of training Jaune to defeat Cardin will result in a far more satisfying outcome than if I were to deal with the ruffian personally. There would be no shame nor humiliation in losing to me, while he would be quite humbled to lose to the Arc boy._

 _I intend to spend the next couple of days mapping out a rough lesson plan based on my own experiences before I confront Jaune and secure his cooperation for my training regimen. As I learn more of his capabilities, or lack thereof, I will be able to adjust the plan accordingly and move at a pace that is satisfactory to his skill level. Naturally I will not make him privy to the true nature behind this training, as I do not believe there would be any benefits to him learning that he is to face Cardin again at the end of the semester. Jaune's ego has already been bruised enough by the boy, and I have no intention of further damaging what sliver of self-esteem he may have left by informing him of what the ultimate goal is. His own doubt would plague him and would almost certainly sabotage the any attempt I made in improving his skills._

 _Since you are far more experienced in commanding warriors than I, any and all advice you have on the matter would be much appreciated. As I have said I will be working with the only experience I have in the matter, and my own skills may be lacking in order to push Jaune to whatever his full potential may be._

 _I look forward to receiving your reply. I anticipate the next several months at Beacon will be quite exciting. I miss you, Winter. Please stay safe wherever your work takes you._

 _Love,_

 _Weiss_

* * *

The familiar sound of the alarm on his scroll began beeping before Jaune's eyes slid open to reveal all of the sights and sounds he had become accustomed to. Ren was still asleep. Nora was fighting every urge in her body to not wake him up. And Pyrrha was preparing herself for the day's classes. Deciding that he had hit the snooze button enough for one morning he turned off the alarm before placing his device back on the small table next to his bed. For long seconds he laid there staring at the ceiling. He didn't want to go to class today. Like every day recently.

Soft pillows. Warm sheets. Why? Why did they have to call to him now? Why was bed the most comfortable just when you had to leave it?

It had been a few weeks now since his time at Beacon had started and he was used to the routine. That wasn't the problem. Subjects like History and Grimm Studies were simple enough as long as he paid attention in class and read his textbooks. And with the help of his friends he was at least getting passing grades. However his academic subjects were not what concerned him. It was his practical lessons that he was worried about. He had fought again in Professor Goodwitch's combat class. And again he had lost. It was not in as spectacular fashion as the first time because he doubted that anyone anywhere would ever be able to top that. This time he had managed to get a couple of hits in. At least he thought so. But his demise in his latest match had been far quicker. Truthfully he preferred it that way. Enter, get his butt kicked, leave. All in the span of a couple of minutes.

Even with this slight improvement, from his perspective at least, there was still another problem. And that problem was named Cardin Winchester. He had borne witness to the thug-like behavior of the young man back in the cafeteria the previous week. Since the day when the hulking student had decimated Jaune in their match, Cardin had seemingly painted a target on his back. And while he was not Cardin's only target, he certainly did seem to be his favorite. It was like he now knew that Jaune could do nothing to stop him, and therefore he would be a regular victim for all kinds of things ranging from extortion to just plain bullying for the fun of it. It had not been pretty.

He could hardly forget the times where he received a shove into the wall or an errant foot sticking out causing a subsequent, not to mention ungraceful fall. Had it not been for his Aura his body would have surely been broken in many places. It reminded him of his first match as he hid behind his shield. Aura was a lifesaver indeed. Of course the worst experience he had suffered so far was when Cardin had tossed him into his own rocket locker and sent it plunging into the Emerald Forest. That had taken up a large chunk of his team's Saturday afternoon as they spent time travelling down there and hunting him down before he could get devoured by the Beowolves and Ursai which lurked about the forest. When he had been found Nora offered to break Cardin's legs. While it as a tempting offer he had ultimately declined. This was his fight. How would he ever survive out there in the real world against real monsters if he couldn't even beat a teenage one?

He finally decided that he did indeed have to go to class today. It would not look good to be absent this early into the semester. He had to wait at least a month until he felt like it was acceptable. He sat up and uncovered his legs before he let his feet fall off the side of the bed. He sat there for long moments staring down at the floor. But naturally the silence would not last long now that his team knew he was awake.

"Good morning Cap-i-tan!" Nora said with her usual enthusiasm. "I hope you're ready for another day of leading your brave warriors into battle!"

He placed a hand over his mouth to cover his wide yawn. "Since when have I ever led you guys into battle?"

"Every day!" she explained. "Don't you know that life is a battle? No!" she gasped, jumping up and pointing a finger into the air. "A war! Made up of tiny battles every day. Every day is a struggle to survive! Kill or be killed! Eat or be eaten! Show no mercy and give no quarter for none shall be given to you!"

He did not know how but somehow during her speech Nora had managed to get so close to him that he could see his reflection in her eyes. She was breathing heavily just from amping herself up with her crazy ideas of life and war.

It was making him uncomfortable. It had to stop. Now. "Nora?" he asked.

"Yes?"

"Go wake Ren up."

The smile that spread across her lips scared him. "Yes, sir!"

With a three foot running start in the limited space of their living quarters Nora leapt up into the air like a champion pole vault competitor, only she was able to accomplish the feat without the aid of such a gymnastics tool. Her stomach grazed the ceiling as she reached the apex of her jump, and as quickly as she went up came thundering down onto the sleeping form of her best friend.

The crash could be heard in every adjacent room, and probably those all the way down the hall as well. The usually quiet Ren let out a loud scream that was equally as pained as it was startled. In an instant the dual pistols which made up StormFlower slipped out from inside the sleeves of his sleeping attire and were ready for action. Jaune had no idea that the boy slept with his weapons. He supposed it made sense growing up with Nora. Every day of living with her was like a battle waiting to happen.

Oh no. The madness was spreading. Again.

The commotion quickly quieted down and was replaced with the simple laughter of the girl as she sat on Ren's chest. He lay there indignantly as she bounced up and down causing the bed to creak with every jump.

"Wake up wake up wake up!" she sang in that cheery, musical voice of hers.

"Nora, please stop," he said as the breath was forced out of his lungs when she landed again. "I'm up."

Her movements ceased as a pout formed on her lips. "Aw, ride's over already? What a rip off."

Nevertheless she hopped off in an instant, once more jumping into the air and landing on her feet with arms extended out at her sides. "Ta da!"

"Yes, very amusing," he said in his usual tired tone.

"I could have gone pro," Nora explained as she hopped up and spun back around to face Ren. "But then I thought, what fun is jumping through the air and doing crazy poses if I don't get to kill any Grimm while I do it?

"You... thought about this?" Jaune asked.

Ren nodded before Nora could answer. "This is nothing. You should hear the dreams she has about the two of us getting rich off of killing Grimm and selling their pelts."

"Well of course," Nora said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "But then, _then_ I thought, what was something I _could_ do where I get to jump around doing poses while utterly crushing the enemies of mankind? And the answer hit me harder than that one really mean lady who worked at our orphanage!"

Jaune gave her a shocked, if not worried look. But Nora waved it off with a smile.

"We had a very interesting childhood..." Ren explained softly.

"Huntress!" she said ignoring Ren's attempt to rationalize her babbling. "Go around slaying monsters, meeting new people, saving the day, making sure that other little kids don't lose their parents like Ren and me..." The atmosphere grew dark and quiet for a moment before Nora recovered. The brightness returned to her eyes and the smile resurfaced on her face. "So yeah! Being a huntress became my goal in life! When it comes to the Grimm, kill, maim and burn them all!"

"Except that we would not be able to collect their pelts if we were to burn them."

Nora hummed softly to herself. "Yes, you're right. We need a new strategy. How are your Grimm trapping skills?"

Ren once more produced his pistols from his sleeves. "I trap my bullets. Inside their bodies."

"Well clearly we have a problem then! If we're to ever make our dreams come true-"

"Your dreams."

"If we're to ever make them come true," she continued, unfazed by the correction. "We require bold and innovative new strategies in order to collect Ursai pelts. And I would like to be the first to formally ask Jaune to join us in our quest!"

"They were Beowolves..." Ren muttered, clearly having enough of the conversation and collapsing back down to the comfort of his pillows.

Jaune's eyes narrowed as he looked to Ren and then back to Nora. "Um, me?"

"Of course, you. As the leader of Team JNPR you are well renowned for your keen strategic mind. That's why Professor Ozpin made you the leader after all."

Jaune looked around before pointing a finger at himself. "We're still talking about me here, right?"

"Ab-so-lute-ly!"

"When have I ever done any of what you just said?"

"Jaune, life is like a-"

"Never mind!" he said hastily before she could even begin on another of her life tangents. That was the entire reason they were in this mess to begin with. "Keen strategic mind right here. Got it."

Nora began cackling as evilly as she was capable of. "Good, good. My master plan to get our leader to believe in himself is working."

Both males looked at her in silence, not quite knowing what to say at this point.

"What? Should I not have said that part out loud?"

Indeed she should not have. Jaune looked to the floor, a deep breath escaping his lips as he wondered how to respond. He went with the first thing that came to mind. "Nora... is this about what's going on with Cardin?"

The normally happy redhead's face lost its trademark smile at the question. And her usually upbeat voice changed noticeably when she spoke. "Jaune. You don't have to do this alone."

Even Ren had sat back up to join in the conversation. "We see what he does to you. It's not right."

No. No it wasn't. Why the young man had decided to pick out Jaune to be his primary target, he still had no idea. Jaune had done nothing to harm the other student. In fact the day they had their duel was the first time they had ever even spoken to one another. It was only after the fight had began and he was thoroughly beaten that the bullying began. Was it like a shark smelling blood in the water and going in for the kill? Could it really be that simple? It was the only explanation he could come up with.

"It's fine," Jaune lied. Both to them and himself. "He'll get bored eventually. And someday we'll look back and laugh it off."

A new voice spoke up. "Do you honestly believe that is true?"

Pyrrha emerged from the team's bathroom clad in her Beacon student uniform. She adjusted the dark brown jacket a couple of times and straightened out her bow before she moved to sit down next to Jaune on his bed.

"It has to be," he said simply. "We're here for an important reason. I mean, he can't really keep this up when there's so much at stake, can he?" Yes. _They_ were here for an important reason. To be the defenders of Remnant against the evil beasts which sought to destroy humanity. So what was his excuse?

Ren frowned. Even Nora joined in. And it was a rare sight to see the bubbly girl ever express herself in anything but a smile. This must have been serious.

"Take it from me, Jaune," Nora said. "Kids are the worst. Trust me. Growing up in an orphanage you meet a lot of kids who are worse off than you. And they take it out on you."

It was a surprisingly deep statement from the girl who had made her first impressions on her team by making sloth noises and hyping up the positive health benefits of daily meals of pancakes. But he had to give her credit. She certainly knew her way around children who had less than ideal lives.

"And if I were to wager, I would say that Cardin fits the mould," Ren agreed. He had been partners with Nora even before they were partners at Beacon. With so much shared experience Jaune would have been a fool, an even bigger fool than he already was, to not consider their point of view.

"If there's anything we can do to help, just ask," Nora said warmly. But there was something else there. The threat of violence was hidden in her voice. It was the sound of excitement barely being held back. She did indeed want to break Cardin's legs with her mighty hammer.

Just ask. How could he ever ask of them what he needed? How could he ever tell them?

 _Oh hey, guys. I just wanted to let you know that I'm a complete failure of a human being. I lied to get into Beacon, I can't fight and before I met Pyrrha I didn't even know what Aura was! By the way I'm your leader, so please do what I tell you to. You can trust your lives in my hands! I'm telling the truth this time!_

No, he could not tell them. Just looking around at the three people he cared for the most outside of his family, he knew that to tell them the truth would destroy their bonds of friendship. It was a selfish decision. A cowardly decision. But it was the best one, in his mind, that was available to him.

Besides, he would learn to fight here at Beacon. That was what the school was for. To teach students to fight. He would learn naturally. He would learn the hard way. He would put every ounce of strength and will he had in himself to prove to not just himself, not just his team, but the entire world that he had what it took to be a huntsman. He would make his father proud. He would do his family name justice. Somehow. He just had to.

But he just could not tell them this. Any of it. So he nodded in acknowledgement to Nora's words. "Yeah," he said, flashing a false smile at his friend. "I'll keep that in mind. Thanks."

"Any time, leader!" she smiled back.

Right then and there he made the decision that he needed to improve himself. Fast. And what did people who wanted to learn do? Study, of course! It all made sense to him. That's at least how it worked in the movies.

A plan was already forming in the young man's mind. He would set out to the library after classes ended today to try and find as many books about fighting technique, weapons and Aura as he could. And he would devote his free time into learning as much as he could about becoming a huntsman on top of the lessons taught at the academy. After his skills had been on display in front of his peers this was the only choice he was left with. It was either stay and succeed, or fail and go home. Just as his parents had expected him to, even if their words on the matter had been kinder than the intent behind them.

* * *

Here he was. The library. Just as he said he would be. That was progress already. But then again, an Arc never went back on his word. Even if his word was to himself.

The large, multi-roomed complex within Beacon Academy was a booklover's dream. Shelf after shelf lined the walls with books of all shapes, sizes and colors and covered all varieties of subjects. Large wooden tables and chairs sat in the middle of it all seating dozens of students right now, but if he were to guess it could fit hundreds if the need arose. Not that too many students actually spent an extended amount of time here, if he were to be honest. Not many teenagers enjoyed being confined to a stuffy old room filled with the scent of old beaten leather and paper. Books had a certain scent that just seemed to put Jaune off. He wondered if that was where his distaste for studying had come from. It would be a far kinder excuse than he had now where people just assumed he was lazy.

Jaune wandered around for the first few minutes after his arrival, scanning the various sections of the library looking for books which would aid him in his quest. In addition to the usual elements one would expect from a library such as fiction and non-fiction sections, there was a substantial academic section which took up probably half of the space. And it was here that he would find what he was looking for. Looking up and down the shelves he saw the titles of books printed on their spines. _The Art of Swordsmanship_. _The Blade and the Bearer_. _Sword Fighting for Dummies_.

Okay, that last one was a little too on the nose. He could not very well check that out and be seen with it. Then again, if he were to take a stack of books on sword combat he could always say that it had just gotten mixed in, or that he wanted to look through it for a laugh. Because if there was one thing he had gotten good at over the past couple of weeks, it was lying. It was a sad conclusion to come to when he was attending a combat school.

After grabbing an armful of the reading material he started to make his way over to the librarian's desk in order to check them out. But that was when he saw a familiar face.

Blake Belladonna of Team RWBY sat alone at a table with her face staring down intently at the open book in front of her. Jaune had admittedly never spoken much to the girl. And not simply because the girl did not talk all that much. They had just never really had a chance. The only times they had ever been together was when the two teams were hanging out. And when this happened Jaune was normally either talking to members of his own team, or the two girls he had already befriended on Team RWBY, Ruby and Yang. Weiss was still... Weiss. And Blake was usually either lost in her own world of reading or quietly chatting with the only other person who seemed to understand her, Ren.

But here and now the two were alone. What better time to properly meet the girl who he had spent so much time around but never truly met? Strangers were just friends you hadn't met yet, were they not? So why not go over and meet her?

Nodding in agreement to the words that only he could hear, Jaune made his way over to the table which Blake sat at and stopped in front of it. The girl opposite of him had not even noticed him approach. Or if she had she was ignoring him. But he could only assume she was so lost in her reading that the outside world may as well not exist to her.

"Hey, Blake," he greeted, trying to get her attention.

Amber eyes looked up, piercing into his own. There was something off about them. Maybe it was just the color. He had rarely ever seen a person with amber eyes. Maybe not even ever.

But the hard part was over. He had gotten her to acknowledge him. Setting his books down on the table he took a seat across from her. "What are you reading? You looked pretty into it."

Her eyes went back to the page before she replied. "I was. It's the sequel to another book I read a couple weeks ago. About a man with two souls fighting for control over his body."

Jaune's eyebrows raised with the explanation. "Wow. You must read a lot. To finish one book like that and then jump into another one right after? I never read much for fun. Except comic books. But those are mostly just for the pictures."

Blake grabbed the bookmark she had placed off to the side and slid it between the open pages before shutting the book and setting it aside. "You never struck me as much of a reader," she agreed. "But then again I don't know you all that well."

"Yeah, that's kinda why I came over. I just saw you and decided, hey I don't know Blake that well. Might as well give it a try, right?"

She nodded in understanding. "So what brought you to the library in the first place then?"

"Well..." he said with a sigh, rubbing the back of his neck as he sought the right words. "I kind of need to work on some stuff. For school. And I thought what better way to learn than in a library? Or something."

Blake shrugged. "Makes sense."

His eyes light up with sudden realization. "Oh and while I'm here I might as well get started on that assignment for Dr. Oobleck's class. That's due soon."

"The one on the Faunus War," she said knowingly.

"Yeah. I have family who participated in the war. So I figured maybe I'll do my paper on him. But I don't know much about the guy." His expression sank, and his words grew softer. "In my family I get all the warriors and their accomplishments mixed up. There's just so many."

Amber orbs seemed to glow with curiosity as she silently regarded him for a few seconds. "You're related to Azure Arc."

That had certainly taken him by surprise. Even Blake knew about his family? But then again, his grandfather was a war hero. Just like so many who had come before him. He supposed that he should no longer be surprised at the fact that people knew of his family, his bloodline, and all of their accomplishments throughout the history of Vale. He had certainly been reminded of them all enough back at home.

"Yeah. He fought in the Faunus War on the human side," he said before smiling slightly. "Obviously. I mean I don't exactly look like a faunus, do I?"

She stared silently again for yet more seconds. Jaune supposed that was just her thing. Even so, it was eerie in a way. Blake always seemed to look like she was studying. Whether it was studying a book or a person, she was always watching. Learning. Satisfying some desire for knowledge held within her.

"No," she agreed. "But looks can be deceiving."

That was true enough. Here he was, the only son of a well-renowned bloodline in military and huntsman circles all throughout Vale. A young man who wielded a sword that was more of an artifact than a contemporary weapon. A budding warrior who was attending Beacon to live up to his family name and be the next in a long line of heroes. But everything that they believed in was a lie. He was a lie. His looks had deceived them all.

"Yup," he said at last, his tone slightly unsteady. "So yeah, I know a lot of people are picking General Lagune since he's a pretty famous guy. But I figured why not make it personal? Maybe I'll even get some extra points for thinking outside the box. I could definitely use them."

Blake nodded. Her next words came out uneasily. "Azure Arc died," she stated. "At the battle of Fort Castle."

Jaune wasn't sure why she sounded so uncomfortable when she had said that. It was not as if the information was unknown and she had revealed something painful about his past. Regardless of the reasoning he was impressed. He could barely keep track of all his lineage himself. Names like Azure, Alastor, Cyan, the list went on and on. For Blake to know anything at all about the man spoke volumes of her academic prowess. Not that this was ever in question, judging by the amount of time she spent reading.

"I'm surprised you know that," he admitted. "But I suppose I shouldn't be. I mean you're in here reading for fun after all."

Her gaze shifted from him to the tabletop as she spoke. "I've read a lot about the Faunus War," she said. There was a pause for a moment. "For the assignment."

Jaune chuckled lightly. "Yeah. I can see that."

More silence. Jaune knew from the start that he would be the one who would be doing most of the talking. That was just who Blake was as a person. As well as him. Before coming to Beacon he was the most talkative person in his family. And dare he say amongst his friends. His mouth had gotten into trouble many times in the past, and would no doubt do so again in the future. So it was to his great surprise that he met people who could outdo even him. People like Ruby, Yang and especially Nora were leagues above him when it came to chattiness. He did not have a problem with this. It was almost refreshing. But here and now with Blake things were back to normal.

So it was to his surprise when the subject changed drastically.

"Your books," she said suddenly, looking at them as they sat in their stack. "I thought you said you didn't read for fun."

She had him there. What could he say about them? Certainly not the truth. At least not the whole truth. There were ways around that without lying to a potential new friend.

"Oh, those," he started, his mind trying to come up with an explanation on the fly. "I'm just trying to, um, improve myself. My skills. Get more powerful. Stuff like that." It had not been a lie. It just wasn't the entire truth. She had never asked what his motivation for becoming more powerful was.

"I see." She stopped speaking, brow furrowed in thought. Finally she spoke again. "Be careful what you wish for."

Jaune frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Trying to better yourself is a noble cause," she explained. "But it can also be a dangerous one."

"I know, I could get hurt," he agreed. "I'll be sure to not overdo it."

Blake shook her head. "That's not what I meant." She took a deep breath. "Power can change a person. Yes it can make you stronger and a better fighter. But it can also change who you are and how you treat others. It can make people do things they'll regret later."

The words gave him pause. Surely he would never abuse any skills he acquired from Beacon Academy, right? All he wanted to do was to be the best huntsman he could be. To help people. To honor his family name. To become everything his father had ever wanted him to be. Just as every other Arc had before him.

Jaune looked into her eyes, but she did not return the gesture. "I would never let that happen," he told her. "I only want to do better so I can... I don't know. I just want to be stronger."

"Does it have anything to do with Cardin?"

It had been a most unexpected question. One moment they were talking about the Faunus War, then his books, and now this? From her of all people? He wondered why. And there was only one way to find out.

"Why would it have anything to do with Cardin?" he asked back.

Blake frowned. To him it did not appear to be too different from her normal, neutral expression. "I've seen what he does to you. We all have. It would make sense if you wanted to improve yourself."

Truth be told improving his sword skills to use against Cardin had not been a priority. Helping his team had been. Fulfilling his dreams had been. But petty revenge against the guy who was picking on him at school? It all seemed trivial in comparison to what he was doing with his life. However she did raise a valid point. If and when he did improve would that mean that he could stand up to Cardin? Would he ever even try? How would he even handle such a confrontation? He had had plenty of battles and duels in his life, but never an actual fight. Unsanctioned fist fights and shoving matches were things that school delinquents partook in, not him.

But he could not very well tell Blake that he was studying because he had very few skills in the first place. He could not tell her that he doubted himself to the extent where he felt that he could let his team down and cost them their lives if he failed. So he decided he would just tell her what she wanted to hear.

So he did have to lie after all. It did not feel right. But what else could he say? He had already chosen his path. Now he had to walk it. "Yeah," he agreed. "That's right."

She nodded. Jaune heard the fabric of her purple leggings rub together as she shifted her legs under the table. She sat there in silence for long moments before finally speaking again. "People used to pick on me." Another pause. "For a time."

A bombshell. Was Blake actually opening up to him? And if so why?

"Oh," he said uneasily. "About what?"

She shook her head. "I was different from most of them."

"Is it because you read a lot? They thought you were a nerd or something?"

She looked down to the table again. "Yeah," she said simply.

"Ah." More silence. He had to fill the gap. "So you said it was only for a time. What made them stop?"

Her eyes did not move from the table. She seemed to want to look anywhere but at him when she spoke. "I fought back."

It made sense. That was why Blake had asked him about the books. She assumed that he was going to learn to fight back himself because of what she had gone through. Her own personal experience had shaped not only her life, but her perspective on those around her.

"That's good, right?" he asked, his voice sounding hopeful.

"I thought it was." She sighed, looking off to the side now. "Like you I sought to improve myself. To become more powerful. And for a while things were good. At least I thought so. People stopped attacking me. And life seemed like it was finally turning around. Like everything I'd ever wanted was coming true. Like the world was becoming the place I always wanted it to be."

"So what made that change? If things were going good then what made them bad again?"

She frowned again. "Because people started to be afraid of me," she said, her voice getting lower. "They thought that I was the bad guy now because of how I was treating the people who had treated me so poorly. They thought that I was in the wrong. And pretty soon they couldn't see who I was or what I stood for anymore. They only saw me as the violent person I had become. Which is why I'm telling you to tread this path carefully. I didn't."

Jaune was shocked by the revelation. Blake Belladonna of all people? Violent? Of course she knew how to fight. Of course she slew the creatures of Grimm with deadly efficiency. But to imagine her fighting against other people like she described was something he never would have expected. And for people to actually be afraid of her was an even greater surprise. Though he admittedly was just beginning to get to know her, he did not see her as someone who could ever be feared by those who knew her.

"Oh," he said. There was little more that he could think to say immediately. But soon another question came to mind. "What did you do about it all?"

"I left," she said simply.

"Like transferred schools?"

"Yeah." Her answers were becoming more and more forced. More distant. Jaune sensed that the memories must have been painful for her.

He frowned too, his own gaze going to the table. "I'm sorry."

Her eyes looked sad now, gazing off into the distance like there was something there that only she could see. "I am too," she replied.

"But things are better now, right?" he asked hopefully. "I mean you have Ruby and Yang and Weiss now. They're nice. Well two of them are at least." Blake nodded wordlessly. "Okay, well that's a win then! See, things are already looking up for you. No reason to look back and regret what's been done. Because what's done is done and you can't change it."

She looked back to him, that look of curiosity back on her face. "That's surprisingly deep of you."

He shrugged. "Yeah, well, maybe I'm just full of surprises." He wasn't wrong. He was holding back a number of secrets and surprises from his new friends. Both bad and good.

"Yeah," she said absentmindedly.

The thunderous noise of what sounded like a herd of stampeding Goliaths sounded in the background. A blur of red streaked through the library, it stopping just short of crashing into the table that Blake and Jaune sat at. When the wind finally died down and the errant pieces of paper had fallen to the ground they saw that it was none other than Ruby Rose.

"Ruby?" Blake asked, eyes narrowed in concern with the way her leader had entered.

The younger girl looked at them both, her eyes wide and her head moving rapidly as she looked all around her.

"Are you... okay?" Jaune asked, a hint of worry in his tone.

Bright silver eyes looked down at him. "IjustdranksixcupsofcoffeebecauseIhavesomuchofitandIdon'twantittogotowaste!"

The sheer energy in the girl's voice forced Jaune to lean back in his chair away from her. "Ruby, slow down. What's going on?"

"Yang said I was being annoying and kicked me out of our room and told me to do my homework somewhere else." Her squeaky voice was slipping in and out of her caffeine high as she spoke. But she was doing her best to slow down as he had asked. "So I thought what better place to study than the library?"

"Without your books or notes," Blake pointed out.

Ruby examined her arms and then her back. She was carrying nothing. And she had no backpack. The girl sighed and closed her eyes in defeat. "Oh man. What a day this has been."

"Well then take a seat," Jaune said as he slid out a chair next to him. "We're talking about all sorts of depressing things here. You can join the party!"

The younger girl smiled and took him up on the offer, sitting down beside him before pulling herself closer to the table. Even with her legs under the table Jaune could see that her lap and torso were almost vibrating from the constant fidgeting of her legs underneath the table. She reminded him of a Beowolf ready to pounce on its prey.

"Why do you have so much coffee?" he wondered.

"Oh I asked my dad to send me some," she said, her own look becoming sullen as she spoke. "It was all part of a master plan to get Weiss and me super close. Like BFF close."

"And let me guess," Blake said. "She rejected you?"

Ruby shook her head. "Well no. Not exactly," she said before pausing to think back on the day. "I did this really sly, sneaky routine where I tried to get her interested in the coffee without actually asking if she wanted it. I guess I was just too crafty for my own good and she didn't realize I wanted to share with her."

A rare smile slipped from Blake as she shook her head. Jaune was not as familiar with the team dynamic of Team RWBY as she was, but even he could guess the explanation to her reaction. Ruby, as innocent as she was, did not seem like the kind of person who would be able to pull one over on anyone. Especially not someone like Weiss Schnee.

"You know there is someone out there who enjoys coffee besides Weiss," Blake said. "Someone who would gladly take it so that you don't have another caffeine episode."

"Nah, Yang doesn't like it either," Ruby said.

"No. Who else do you know that is always drinking coffee whenever we see him?"

Jaune's eyes lit up in realization. "Dr. Oobleck?"

Blake nodded in confirmation.

"Of course, that's brilliant," he continued. "We can use it to get on his good side so he'll give us better grades for our papers!"

In an instant Ruby's face lit up. "That's genius! Great idea, Blake!"

The black-haired girl shook her head, her eyes incredulous to the idea that they were suggesting. "What? No, I never said to bribe him. I just meant-"

"We know, bribing would be unethical," Jaune interrupted. "But we plant the seed of an idea in his head. Nothing wrong with being nice."

"Very sneaky, Blake," Ruby added. "I like it."

Blake sighed. "I give up," she said as she picked her book back up and flipped it open to where she had left off.

Jaune had no idea why Blake was suddenly backpedalling on the idea. It was a good one. But there was still the issue that Ruby was dealing with. And even him to a lesser extent.

"I tried once or twice too," Jaune said. "Not the coffee thing," he added quickly. "The whole friend thing with Weiss. She didn't seem interested in me either. She even smashed my foot with her boot."

Ruby winced. "Ouch. Well at least she hasn't resorted to physical violence with me yet!"

"Give the Ice Queen time and I'm sure she will."

"So what's our next move," she asked, apparently lumping their collective problems with the pale-skinned girl together. "We must find a way to melt her heart!"

"I don't know," he sighed. "I still need to find ways to get closer to my own partner. Don't get me wrong, Pyrrha is great and all. But she always just seems like she's... I don't know. Always on guard. I don't feel like our team is ever seeing the real her."

Pyrrha was an incredible partner, that was without a doubt. She was intelligent, brave and the most skilled warrior he had ever laid eyes upon. But there was something about her that just seemed off. Despite them being partners and despite her being an incredibly kind and caring person, she just never seemed to open up about anything personal. He knew nothing about her except for her professional accolades. Part of him did not even want to try for fear of getting shot down again like he had been with Weiss. He knew that Pyrrha was completely out of his league, and that it had been by pure chance that they had run into one another in the Emerald Forest and became partners. He believed that she probably wished she had someone more skilled than him. And he believed that she merely tolerated him because she was such a nice person. Her charitable kindness towards him again proved just how superior of a person she really was.

Ruby nodded. "Hopefully we both find a way to get closer to our partners."

Blake looked up from the book she had resorted to reading while the other two teens talked. Jaune saw that she was staring at something behind both him and Ruby. When he turned around he was not at all prepared for what he saw.

Weiss stood a few feet behind him with arms folded across her chest. She glared down into his eyes silently.

"Um, hello?" Jaune asked nervously.

"Jaune Arc," she said accusingly, her arm suddenly stretched outward to point a finger at him. "Meet me in the sparring chamber in twenty minutes. Bring your weapon."

Without another word she stormed off back the way she had come and exited the library. He could only assume she was going to the training area where she had demanded he go as well.

Jaune turned back to look at his friends. The puzzled look on Blake's face was nothing compared to the open-mouthed shock of Ruby. She moved her head back and forth over and over to look at Jaune and to the door Weiss had exited through.

Finally an adorably angry attempt at a pout overtook her face. "Why does she want to do stuff with you and not me!" she squeaked.

"If you want a shot at fighting Pyrrha I'm sure Jaune won't object," Blake pointed out.

Jaune scratched his head, not quite knowing how to respond as the challenge that had been laid out before him still spun in his mind. But finally words came to him. "Um, what should I do?"

Blake smirked again. "You said you wanted to be her friend. Maybe getting beaten up by her will do wonders for your relationship."

"Not funny," he glared back. "And thanks for the vote of confidence."

She shrugged before going back to her book.

He stood up, stretching his legs before looking down at Ruby. "Well I guess I'd better go get my stuff and head over there. Maybe she just wants to... compare weapons or something?" he asked trying to sound optimistic.

Ruby laughed. "Nah," she said knowingly. "Maybe she just wants to finish the job she started on your foot."

The thought did occur to him. He had caused her to become quite angry then. But that had been weeks ago. Could she still be mad? Was she really still holding a grudge over him calling her Snow Angel? Or that one puppy comment?

"Again, not funny," he said, but could not help but smiling at his friend's comment. He didn't even believe his own words. "Well, only one way to find out."

Jaune turned to exit the library and face his destiny, forgetting the books he was in the process of checking out on the table. Whatever that destiny might be he did not know. But he knew that Weiss Schnee stood in his way. For better or for worse their paths would cross today.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** So Blake and Jaune lying to each other's faces may be a little extreme, but honestly in canon they have been keeping secrets from their teams since they started out at Beacon. Transcripts and faunus. So what's a little white lie to protect their secrets from each other?

More coming soon as always. Maybe not as soon as it has been, but I have no intention of stopping.


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Note:** I am quite pleased to be able to post a chapter on my planned day after the past week. Between the new Total War: Warhammer DLC coming out and me coming up with a new story idea that I can't stop thinking of ideas for, I'd say this worked out well. Don't worry, I have no intention of this new story getting in the way of this one. And it will most certainly be on the back burner with me only doing little pieces here and there as I feel inspired to do so. That is unless I feel I can continue to pump out chapters of both stories at a good pace as I have been. We will see.

Thanks as always to everyone for reading and reviewing. Seeing the number of favorites and follows go up each day is truly an amazing thing. You guys are awesome.

* * *

This was certainly a familiar feeling.

Jaune found himself once more sitting on a bench in the locker room. Fastening one final strap he gave his breastplate a tug and found it secure and firm. He exhaled heavily, his head looking down at the floor between his legs. What was he doing? Why was he doing it? Weiss Schnee had all but challenged him to a duel and what did he do? He all but followed orders like a good little soldier to put on his battle gear and accept the challenge. Why? He did not understand.

Was it some sort of male bravado thing he had deep down like all men did? He could imagine the rumors that would fly around the school if word got out that he had refused the challenge of a petite teenage girl almost a foot shorter than him. Never mind the fact that said girl was a trained warrior from a wealthy and prestigious family.

Just like him. Well, except for the girl part. And the trained warrior part. But a prestigious family was something they did have in common.

It would be disastrous. He was already garnering the reputation of being a poor fighter. Add on top of that not wanting to fight a friendly spar? Or maybe not so friendly when it came to Weiss, but no one else knew of their less than friendly relationship. But the fact remained that he would be branded a coward. And that was not something he was willing to put up with. It was not a slight he was willing to put his family name through. He had dragged that through the mud enough already in his first few weeks at Beacon.

He felt butterflies in his stomach just like he had before his duel with Cardin. And his second duel against the guy whose name he could not remember. That had been a blur compared to the prior humiliation. Here he was again about to fight once more. To lose once more. But why did he care? It was not as if there would be an audience there to see it. No one would have to know. Certainly the only other people who even knew such a thing would be taking place would be Ruby and Blake. And while Ruby may care enough to go and lend support to one of them, Blake would almost certainly not. Unless the details of their little fight were written down by an author and published in a trade paperback, Blake would most likely shrug and move onto something more important.

Jaune rapped his knuckles on his breastplate, the familiar sound of impact on steel echoing in his ears as he tested the fit. Everything seemed secure. No moving parts would hinder his movements or leave him exposed to attack. He did the same with his shoulder pauldrons. Standing up he looked to the criss-crossed belts at his waist and fastened the sheath of Crocea Mors to his left hip. Armor, check. Weapon, check. Jeans and hoodie, check. He shrugged, not quite knowing why. There was only one thing left to do.

Exiting the locker room he made his way over to the large, empty room reserved strictly for combat between students. Unlike the other training rooms which contained equipment and limited space for practicing their arts alone, the sparring chamber was a massive space that could allow multiple duels to take place simultaneously. It was similar to Professor Goodwitch's classroom in that it had a seating area for students who were waiting for their turn to fight, or for those who simply wanted to watch. Jaune had never done either. He had never even stepped foot in the place. His classes had been enough for him when it came to live combat practice. Up until now. Up until it had fully hit him just how behind everyone else he was. And that he needed to get better.

Pushing open the doors he stepped inside to find it empty save for one person. He was thankful for this fact, but hardly surprised. Classes were over and many people had already had their fill of fighting. The last thing that any normal teen wanted was more work. But then again in his past experiences with Weiss he could hardly consider her normal. There she stood, clad in her usual white-blue skirt and jacket and her ponytail unusually off-center the way it always was. He wondered why the girl who seemed to care so much about her appearance would not do anything to fix that. After doing it day after day he figured it had to be by design. But why?

She stood there watching him as he strode through the doorway, whatever she was thinking unknown behind an unreadable face. There was no anger at least. That was good. No anger meant less of a chance for fighting and pain. Maybe he was right. Maybe she just wanted to compare weapons. For some reason.

He noticed the only real structure in the empty room was a computer terminal built into the wall that must have controlled something that could not be seen. Several doors of unknown purpose also lined the far wall, though these doors were not wooden, nor did they have handles like the ones at the entrance. They were metal and seemed to slide either up or across to allow access to whatever was behind them.

The doors he had entered through shut behind him with a soft thud as he stepped closer to the girl. Still nothing. She still watched him, silently regarding him as he grew closer. Her icy blue eyes were unflinching where a normal person would feel awkward from the prolonged eye contact and break it, even if just for a second. That was what he did before they wandered back to both her body and face.

He looked around waiting for her to say something. When she didn't he decided to break the ice. "Um, hi?" he said nervously.

Her eyes narrowed on him. Finally a response. It may not have been verbal, but she did something. Truthfully he had been uncomfortable by the way she was staring at him without saying a word.

"Jaune Arc," she said as she had before. It was a little weird the way she said his full name like that. "You are immature, uncouth, and utterly useless in a fight." Ouch. She wasn't holding back. He winced from the verbal assault. Maybe it had been a mistake to want her to say something. "Sync your scroll to the Aura meter and draw your weapon."

Weiss reached down to her right hip and drew Myrtenaster before extending her arm and pointing the tip of the blade at him. She stood there frozen like a statue for several long heartbeats.

Jaune raised his hands to his chest, palms facing her as he took a single step backwards. "Wait, don't you think you're taking this a little too far?" he asked with an anxious chuckle. "I mean I know I was kinda forward when we first met but can't we talk about this instead of fighting?"

She ignored his pleas. "Sync your scroll and draw your weapon," she repeated.

Well clearly this was going nowhere fast. The negotiation part, that was. Because the reality of the situation was that this was indeed going somewhere, and it was going there far too fast.

He moved over to a computer terminal which must have controlled the Aura meter much like the one in Professor Goodwitch's class. He saw that Weiss' name and Aura were already displayed on a screen above the arena. In this way the two would be able to judge their Aura levels and determine when it was no longer safe or practical to continue the fight. He fished his own scroll out of his pocket and did what was required of him.

After this was finished Jaune reached down to unsheathe Crocea Mors before expanding the sheath into his heater shield. Slipping the defensive device into his left hand he stood with it raised to cover his torso with Crocea Mors in a slightly raised position at his side.

What happened next was so quick that he had not even been able to register a thought before the impact struck him. Weiss had cast one of her glyphs onto the floor underneath her feet and propelled herself forward at an unbelievable speed. The fact that he had blinked caused him to miss her closing the distance between the two entirely, and the only proof that she had indeed moved was the fact that he was now under attack. The tip of her sword crashed into Jaune's shield, which he had barely moved in time to deflect the strike.

 _I couldn't even follow her. How is she so fast?_

An instant later he felt pain in his legs as repeated strikes struck below his guard, bringing him down to a knee. He still held his shield up, unmoving behind it as the assault on his body continued. Blow after blow struck him everywhere from his legs to his hips to even his face. His Aura protected him from any real harm that these doubtlessly fatal blows would have inflicted upon anyone else. But to him they were just dull thumps of pain on his body that would scarcely leave a mark once it was over.

She dashed past him, casting another glyph onto the wall behind him. She springboarded off of it and thrust once more straight towards Jaune's position. He pivoted his body just in time and the rapier tip that had been aiming straight for his back bounced harmlessly off of his shield. The impact had enough force to provide her the energy to bounce back away from him and avoid the swing of his own sword that had been intended to do serious damage to her Aura.

Weiss was simply too fast to even follow, much less try and counter. Unlike his duel against Cardin where his attacks had been very slow and deliberate, Weiss seemed to move at the speed of light. Her rapier danced in front of him, and every so often he was able to deflect a strike with his shield. Whether this was by his own skill or sheer dumb luck he was not sure. But he was without a doubt taking more hits than he was blocking.

He had had enough. After one more successful block he gripped Crocea Mors tight in his fist and lashed out with the blade. Its effort was wasted as Weiss glided back and away from the attack. She circled around to his right side where his shield could not protect him and aimed another thrust into him. Another stinging blow struck him in the side and again he struck out with his sword. Again, the attack did not connect as the girl effortlessly dodged the attack.

She came again showing no mercy. After enduring the assault for what seemed like an eternity she backed off and the blows stopped.

Peeking out from behind his shield he saw that she stood a few feet away from him now, her sword arm at her side and her free hand placed firmly on her hip as she looked at him.

Jaune stood and lowered his shield, thinking that the fight was now over. That at least hadn't been too bad. Short and painful, much like the girl who stood opposite of him. But it was seemingly done. What had been the point of it all? Just to vent the anger and frustration she had for him? Her words prior to attacking made that possibility likely. But the question now was, what happened next?

* * *

She finally backed off, deciding that she had done enough damage. That, and she had seen enough. That outcome had never been in doubt, but she had hoped that the road to reaching that destination would have at least been different. Sadly it had not been. Just like with his duel against Cardin, at least the first half of it, Jaune had hidden behind his shield. He had made little attempt to truly fight back. Yes, he had swung a few times with his own weapon. But these swings had been out of frustration. Out of rage. That would simply not do. And he had managed to block some of her strikes. But with such a large surface area his shield was likely to protect him against the far smaller tip of her rapier by sheer odds alone.

Weiss watched him begin to stumble to his feet in surprisingly good shape for the beating he had just taken. She looked up to the Aura meters to see how much damage she had inflicted upon the boy. Her eyes widened in momentary shock to see that his bar was still two-thirds full. How was that even possible? She had landed at least half a dozen strong blows on him and he was still this far in the green?

She placed a hand on her hip and looked at him expectantly. For a few moments there was silence before he finally spoke up.

"So, um," he began. "Are we done?"

Nothing about his Aura. Did he even realize how much he still possessed? No, of course not. Here stood a boy with no fighting sense, much less any appreciation for the strategic aspect of combat.

The first thing she wanted to ask was about how he was still standing. But she knew that would be a pointless endeavor. Truthfully she did not fully know where to go next. This was all improvisation. What little she remembered about her early days of learning to fight herself was mostly just technique-based. She did not remember how her instructors set the learning atmosphere. She did not remember how they had first introduced ideas and concepts to her. She really would have to wing it.

She decided to go with the first thing that had come to her mind when their fight had ceased. "You hide behind your shield too much," she told him. "Why?"

He looked down to his side where it still hung from his left arm. He shrugged before looking back to her. "That's what it's for, right?" he asked. "To hide behind. To protect me."

Her eyes hardened. "There is a stark contrast between hiding and protecting. One is practical. The other is cowardly."

She didn't know why his explanation had set her off so much. But it had.

He did not seem to know where she was going with this. His tone made that clear. "Okay...?"

"Yes, your shield is there to protect you," she explained. "And it would be stupid not to use it. But you weren't using it. You were hiding behind it."

"What's the difference?"

A soft sigh escaped her lips. "Not everyone will aim for your shield like Cardin did," she told him. "Did I? No, I went around it because you just held it there. And I hit you with several clean strikes as a result. You need to be proactive in your defensive strategy." She paused. "Do you even know what proactive means?"

"Um, i-"

She cut him off before he could truly start. "It means you have to use it. Move it. Like your sword it has to be ready to move in a moment's notice. Which by the way, what were those pathetic excuses for swings you were attempting to hit me with?"

"I was a little busy defending..."

Her tone grew dark again. "No, you were not defending. You were hiding. And I will continue to pound that into your skull until you realize the difference."

She was being harsh. She knew that. But it was the only way she knew how to teach. It was how she had been taught. Holding his hand and saying "better luck next time!" would not yield results. Your opponents would not be kind. Grimm would not be kind. Grimm would not spare your life and wait until you got better. When everyone got a trophy for giving it their best shot then there was no longer a reason to get better. They would get complacent. And she would not allow him to be complacent. Not when her own reputation was on the line.

Jaune frowned. "Sure..."'

"Speaking of your sword, let me see it. I want to know what I'm working with here."

He gave her a confused look before flipping it around in his hand and holding it out for her hilt-first. Weiss walked a few steps toward him and took it from his grasp.

Upon getting a firm grip on it the first thing she realized was just how finely crafted it was. The pommel shone bright gold, and she would not have been surprised if it was actually gilded in the precious metal. However more importantly, the sword's balance was amazing. She moved and spun her wrist around and the blade glided effortlessly with her. It seemed that neither the blade nor the hilt were any heavier than the other. And that meant it would be incredible on both offense and defense. Furthermore its attacks could be split to include both thrusting and slashing strikes, such was the way the weight was split. And all the while it would still be able to be brought back up quickly in order to parry any attacks brought against him. The craftsmanship did not end there. The edges of the blade were razor sharp which was to be expected of a sword. But just how sharp the edges were, how fine they were, was not something she saw all that often. It was almost more of a work of art than a weapon. Except for the deadly truth that in the proper hands it could likely hew an Ursa in two with a single blow.

The second thing she noticed was the size of the handle. It was wrapped in fine blue leather, and even in her own tiny hands she realized the area she gripped was too large to be meant for exclusively one-handed wielding. It was a hand-and-a-half longsword. If he was as skilled with the sword as its user was meant to be he would be able to wield it with both one or two hands, depending on what the situation called for. She decided that she would hold off on teaching him any two-handed techniques for now. He would need all of the help he could get from that shield of his. While he may be using it as a crutch at the moment, she would teach him to use it as another powerful weapon in his arsenal.

"So this is the infamous dustless weapon you mentioned," she said, recalling one of their first conversations with one another. "I must admit that it is a fine weapon. How did someone like you get your hands on it?"

"It's, um, a family heirloom actually," he explained. "Been in my family for generations. Going all the way back to the Great War."

A relic. That explained why it did not have any dust functions like he own weapon. For something made eighty years ago it made sense. Weapons of that era were of a more primitive breed. Primitive, but deadly nonetheless. At the time of the war there were no huntsman academies like Beacon or Haven in existence yet, so perhaps it made sense that specialized weapon creation had not taken off the way it had in recent decades. Certainly there were no sniper rifle scythes or multi-action dust rapiers back then. Winter would without a doubt know more about the subject. Her sister had always been a fountain of knowledge when it came to military history. Perhaps that was why she ultimately chose to join the Atlesian military rather than stay exclusively with the Schnee Dust Company.

"And you intend to use it as a huntsman," she said, her tone a little bit on the skeptical side.

He nodded. Hesitantly. "Yup, that's the plan."

It was something to work with at the very least. Already a plan was starting to develop in her mind about just what she would be able to train him in. The fact that he used a sword helped a great deal. As a student of the Atlesian School of Fencing herself she had grown adept to the art of swordplay. And while most people incorrectly associate fencing exclusively with weapons such as rapiers and foils, the discipline taught all manner of weapons in addition to these such as longswords, daggers and even unarmed combat.

It was going to be a long road. But one that had to be travelled.

Weiss sheathed Myrtenaster at her side before looking back up at him. "Let me see your slash."

Jaune tilted his head. "My wha? No, I don't write that kind of stuff. Who told you that?"

She had no idea what he was talking about. But his confusion at her command frustrated her all the same. "Your slashing attack. With your sword." She went over to the computer terminal and worked at it for a few seconds. "On this."

A moment later one of the metal doors Jaune had been looking at earlier opened and into the room walked an Atlesian Training Droid. Cheaply mass-produced and looking much like a stripped down Atlesian Knight-130 robot, the droids were designed to be used for training purposes by aspiring hunters and soldiers. The bare-bones design meant that when they were destroyed in the training process that nothing of any true value was lost, and that the pieces would be able to be melted down and recycled for future use.

Jaune looked over at the darkly colored steel device, watching warily as its red-lit face stared emptily at the wall next to him as if he was not even there. Its gangly, thin arms looked as if they could be snapped in two by a strong breeze, but it still possessed enough strength to stand up to a single Beowolf if it were ever pressed into service.

He raised his shield so that its top edge was up to around his chin. "You want me to fight this?" he asked as he brought his sword arm slightly up.

"No," she explained. "It won't fight back unless programmed to. I just want to see you hit it. With a slash."

"Oh. Okay."

She watched as Jaune inched closer to it, still on edge as if this were some sort of trick and the droid would lash out at any moment. That was good. He was not a total moron. He was at least that aware of the fact that he should always expect to be attacked when in a combat situation.

The droid remained motionless all the while as it awaited instructions. When Jaune was in striking distance he looked back over to her as if waiting for approval to attack. Weiss nodded, and he turned back to his foe.

Jaune reared back with his longsword and brought it down hard on the droid, the blade easily severing its right arm and sending a small shower of sparks from the damaged shoulder socket. With a loud clang the steel appendage hit the floor, but the droid stood impassively as if nothing had even happened.

He repeated the motion and this time swung sideways, the blow cleanly taking off the head of the training robot. More sparks, but this time the device collapsed to the floor. Without the head and central processing unit the robot had no control over its limbs and the legs collapsed under its own weight. And there it lay in a heap before the young man's feet.

Weiss hummed softly to herself. This would indeed be a lot of work.

"So how was that?" he asked, a slight smile on his face. "Pretty impressive right? Two swings and two things chopped off."

"You have too much wasted motion," she told him. In an instant the smile on his face was replaced with a frown.

"What do you mean?"

"You raised your arm far back when preparing for your strike. That's wasted motion. Flashy moves like that are fine in movies where you need to look visually impressive. But in the time you took preparing to attack I could have attacked you. You'd be a dead man if this was a real fight."

 _If this was a battlefield you would be dead. You must be perfect._

Memories of her own training sessions reemerged in her mind. Her thoughts when she trained alone joined them. A soft exhale through her nose was the extent of her venting frustration with herself. With her past.

"Oh," he said awkwardly. "So what do I do about that?"

He was eager to learn at the very least. And that in itself was surprising. He had always struck her as lazy in addition to his list of many faults. But the fact that he was asking questions was a good sign. A sign that he was at least not a total lost cause.

"The first principle of fencing is to take the shortest and most direct line of attack," she explained. "Flashy moves and showing off is useless. Your opponent won't be impressed. The Grimm won't be impressed. All it will do is slow you down."

"Got it," he said confidently.

"Get in a combat stance again."

He did as he was told. Raising his shield once more, he brought his sword hand up to the height of the middle of his chest.

"Now slash."

He did not raise his sword above his head this time, but rather struck out with the blade from its position at his side. The first stroke was over handed and moved toward his body before he spun his wrist around and slashed back across his body. He repeated the motions several more times against no target, simply swinging at the air against an imaginary opponent. After several of these attacks he stopped and looked back over to her.

* * *

Jaune lowered Crocea Mors and turned to see Weiss' reaction to his latest attempts at slashing attacks. Truthfully he had no idea why she was asking him to do this. What had started out as a challenge to a duel had quickly turned into something else entirely. Were they not done with their business here? She had won. It was over. Honor had been satisfied. He was surprised that there had not been a glove slap or a literal throwing down of the gauntlet from the girl. She certainly seemed proper and noble enough to have gone through with the acts. But then again he had only ever seen those actions in movies. And as she had just explained to him real combat was not what it appeared to be in the movies.

As usual her expressionless face betrayed no emotion. Her eyes had been studying his movements, and now she stood there staring at him. It was strange. Eerie even. Much like Blake when he thought that she too had been studying him. Was that perhaps the difference between him and these people who were leagues ahead of him in skill? Were they always searching for answers and attempting to learn from their surroundings? It was a thought he would consider when his mind was not preoccupied with trying to impress the girl before him.

Finally she spoke. "Better." That was good. She had not insulted him! For the first time ever maybe when she was in a situation where she could have criticized she had declined the opportunity. "But we have a long way to go."

Jaune looked at her with confused eyes. "A long way to go where?"

"In your training," she said simply.

Training? What? When did this become a thing? His expression did not change. "Wait, what are you talking about? Since when were we training together?"

"Since I decided on it a couple of days ago," she said matter-of-factly.

"But-" he began before she cut him off.

"Today was not a proper training session. I was merely gauging the extent of your capabilities. And from what I have seen we do indeed have a long way to go."

His thoughts from days ago entered his mind. Thoughts of not wanting anyone to know just how weak he was. About not wanting anyone's help. About wanting to do this on his own. His heart froze for a moment when he remembered the books he had intended to take out of the library to aid in this endeavor. So surprised had he been by the sudden challenge from the heiress that he had left them at the table with Blake and Ruby. He felt even clumsier than usual to have forgotten about something he was so set on doing. But then again what had transpired at the library was far beyond his normal circumstances.

He had to achieve this by himself. He had to gain strength through his own efforts. To prove all of his doubters wrong. To prove that he belonged here. That he belonged in the same sentence as his ancestors. Call it pride perhaps, and he had precious little of that. But he did not want others to do the work for him anymore.

"I... can't," he said uneasily.

A look of mild surprise graced the heiress' features. At least it was better than her usual cold indifference. "What?" she uttered softly.

He looked down to the floor as he spoke, unable to meet her gaze. "It's a nice offer and all, but I don't... have time. With my duties as a leader. And then training on my own and stuff. Don't worry about me. I got this."

Her hands moved to her hips as she continued to stare him down. She was not taking this well. And he did not know why. What could be her incentive for wanting to train him so badly? He dared not ask at the risk of angering her even further. The last thing he wanted to do was put her on the defensive.

Her glowering expression deepened. "I wasn't aware I was giving you a choice. You are simply dreadful when it comes to combat ability." She stopped for a moment in silent thought. "You have a team to worry about." Her tone was getting more agitated as she went on. "You may be a complete idiot, but you're an idiot who has the lives of three other people to worry about. You have a duty of them to be the best huntsman you can be. And that means you need to get stronger. You will need all of the extra training you can get." She paused briefly. "Luckily I am the finest student capable of teaching on campus."

He noticed how her words softened when the last sentence about herself was spoken. And if he had to be honest with himself, she was not wrong about anything she had just said.

It was the reason he had decided to study and train more on his own. He did have a team to look after now. He did have the lives of three other people in his hands. And not just random people. His teammates were quickly becoming the closest friends he had ever had. He could not fail them.

Could he truly do it on his own? Just by studying and training by himself? Books and theory could only take him so far, he knew that. But if he were to let her help him what would that make him? The damsel in distress once more? The guy who everyone wanted to save?

He couldn't take that. Not anymore.

Jaune sheathed Crocea Mors and hurriedly made his way to the exit of the sparring chamber.

"Jaune!" he heard her call after him. "This discussion is not over!"

He didn't turn back. Instead he shoved open the doors forcefully. So suddenly did the atmosphere change that the person on the other side of the door didn't even have the chance to move out of the way before it slammed into them.

A blur of black and red hit the floor hard as Jaune pushed through the exit. Looking down he saw the prone form of Ruby lying there holding a hand to her forehead.

"Ow..." she groaned.

His eyes widened in shock. "Ruby? What the- I'm so sorry! Are you okay?" He offered a hand to her to help her up.

Ruby took a hold of it and was brought back up to her feet. "Yeah, I'm fine. Aura's nice like that," she said with a laugh.

"I'm really sorry," he said again. "What were you doing out there?"

The girl's face went pale as her eyes shifted around to look anywhere but him. "Oh I was just um, you know, inspecting the... the hinges of the door. You know how much of a technology nerd I am."

"I thought you were technology nerd when it came to weapons."

"I, um, yeah. And you demonstrated perfectly how to use that door as a weapon. Excellent work, Jaune." She nodded forcefully to emphasize the compliment. "Well, it looks like my work here is done. I'm just going to head back to my room to record my findings."

She turned to walk away but was stopped by a hand being placed on her shoulder. She looked back and saw the skepticism in his eyes.

"Now I admit I may not be at the top of the class rankings when grades come out," he said quietly. "But I'm not exactly stupid. What's up, Ruby?"

The younger teen sighed and grabbed a hold of one of his sleeves before she started walking. "Come on. Away from here."

No words were said as they walked down the corridor away from the sparring chamber. He did not know what was going on, but at the same time he knew better than to expect anything normal from his friend. This was Ruby Rose after all. The girl who had literally exploded on the first day of attending the school. The girl who was a self-admitted dork when it came to weaponry. For her to be normal would be the only abnormal thing about her.

Now in an unfamiliar hallway far from where he had just been training, Ruby leaned back against a wall and slid down to sit on the floor. Jaune did the same and sat down next to her.

Ruby brought her legs up close to her chest and remained silent for long moments as she stared at her knees. But finally she spoke. "What's your secret?" she asked cryptically.

His heart froze. No. Surely she did not know his secret. No one could know. If she knew then there was no way that Ozpin couldn't have figured it out. And if he knew then it was over.

He swallowed hard. His mouth had gone dry. But he spoke nonetheless. "What do you mean?" he asked softly.

"Weiss. You," she said. "She wants to spend time with you. I can't even get her to study with me. What's your secret?"

So that's what this was about. She thought he had some sort of secret method of getting Weiss to become interested in him. It made sense. Earlier Ruby had expressed her frustration in not being able to get Weiss to open up to her more. And here the white-clad girl was now willingly training with him. That had to sting the girl's partner. But truthfully he had no secret. And he would simply have to admit as much to his friend.

"I honestly don't know," he told her. "This just kinda happened. I didn't do anything. Haven't even really talked to her in a couple of weeks."

Ruby frowned as she leaned her head back against the wall and closed her eyes. She remained that way as she spoke. "It's not fair. How can I... how can I lead a team when I can't even be friends with my own partner?"

He chuckled darkly. "I don't think I'm the guy who can give the best advice about being a leader."

"Nah," she said, shaking her head. "I've seen you with your team. You're a great leader. Nora will do anything you say. She adores you. And Ren is a pretty cool guy too. I can tell he respects you." She stopped and smiled before continuing. "And plus since you have Nora on your side that means that Ren will do whatever she tells him to. So those two are a lock for respecting your position as leader."

Jaune was unable to disagree with that. Especially the parts about Nora and her influence over Ren. But still, that wasn't what he had meant. Too bad he couldn't clarify his thoughts for her.

"Even Pyrrha Nikos," she continued. "A world-renowned champion fighter like her wasn't chosen to be the leader. But you were. What does that say about you, Jaune?"

What did it say about him? That he was an excellent liar who had even the headmaster of Beacon Academy fooled.

Ruby looked over at him now. "If those three people can place their trust in you then you must be a great leader."

Her words of kindness only tore at him. They made him feel guilty again. They made him doubt himself once more. How could he lead them if he was unable to even defend himself? How could he put them in situations on the battlefield that he was unable to handle himself? Even he knew that the greatest generals did not put their soldiers in situations that they were not willing to be in themselves. If he was ever faced with mortal danger that he knew he could not handle with his limited training, what would he do?

"I'm not as good as them," he admitted. "How can I lead them if I know this and they know it too? And like... what do you do when you know something is best for the team even if it means admitting you're a bad leader?"

She smiled as she looked back over to her knees. "Well... 'cause being a leader isn't about doing everything yourself. You're on a team, Jaune. You don't have to do it all alone. That's why you have a partner too. There's nothing wrong with getting a little help for the good of the team. Asking for help makes you strong, not weak."

He closed his eyes and exhaled loudly. He knew what she was getting at. She had been present outside of the sparring chamber while he and Weiss had been fighting and discussing training. For now obvious reasons. She must have overheard everything. It was the only explanation to her telling him that he was not alone. And that there was nothing wrong with a little help. After all, was she not coming to him for help with Weiss? That didn't make her weak.

It had not been what he had expected to hear. Nor what he had wanted. But sadly it was the truth. A truth that he had not wanted to admit to himself. He knew what he had to do.

"You okay?" she asked.

He looked back over to her. "Yeah. I think. I just... gotta stop being dumb."

She smiled knowingly at his statement. "Yup," she said simply.

"As for Weiss," he said changing the subject back to Ruby's issue. "Just... I don't know. I would say keep trying, but she got angry when I kept pushing. So I just started ignoring her. And now she wants to train me apparently." He shrugged. "Maybe ignore her?"

She laughed at the idea. That was good. Laughter meant that she wasn't completely depressed, right?

"I think that would be her dream come true if I started ignoring her," she admitted.

"Okay, maybe not ignore her totally. Maybe just... tone down the Rubyness a little bit?"

Silver eyes narrowed. "My Rubyness?"

"Yeah. You know..." he said uneasily. "How you kinda get a little, um, hyper at times and stuff."

She playfully punched him in the shoulder. "Excuse me, are you saying there's something wrong with me?"

"So many things," he laughed.

Another punch. "Jerk!" she squeaked.

Both laughed, and in an instant the atmosphere had lightened from the dark place it had been only a minute earlier.

Ruby rested her head against the wall once more. "Thanks, Jaune. I needed this."

"Needed what?"

"Advice," she started. "Maybe just someone to listen. Yang's great, but I think she's a little biased towards me since we're sisters. I don't think she would have told me the truth because she wouldn't want to hurt my feelings."

He could relate. He couldn't count the number of times that he had told little white lies to his own little sisters in order to spare their feelings. There was nothing malicious about such actions. It was just the duty of the older siblings to protect their younger ones.

"No problem," he said before he began his own uneasy confession. "And thanks for telling me what I needed to hear too."

Ruby shrugged her shoulders. "Us leaders have to stick together after all," she said as she held out a fist toward him.

Jaune gave it a bump with a fist of his own and smiled. "To the burdens of leadership," he said as he did so.

"To the burdens of leadership," she echoed.

* * *

It had been a relatively short walk back to Team RWBY's dorm. Jaune and Ruby walked side by side the whole way feeling a new chapter in their still new friendship begin. Together with the help of one another and their teams they would succeed. They were determined to be the greatest teams to ever graduate from Beacon Academy.

Unlocking the door, Ruby pushed it open and burst into the room. "I'm back!" she sang.

Over on the top of her bunk bed Yang looked down and smiled. "Hey, Rubes," she greeted.

On the other side of the room Weiss lay on her own bed with a textbook open and held standing on her chest with one hand. She must have returned to her dorm room shortly after he had left her alone in the training room. Weiss moved the book slightly to get a better look at the girl who had just entered but did nothing.

That was until Jaune stepped in after the red-cloaked girl.

He saw her give an inquisitive look and set the book down as she sat up on the bed. But still, she said nothing.

 _Okay, Jaune. Just play it cool. Don't let her know you're totally into the idea. The idea of her wanting to train you. Be cool. Be cold. Ice-cold. But not as cold as her. Yeah I don't think that's even possible._

As seconds passed without anyone saying anything Weiss' expression towards him grew colder.

 _Okay, I don't think I'll have a problem being cool anymore._

"I was thinking about your offer," he said nonchalantly to her statement about training him. "But you know, I just have so much going on with my own team right now. I'm a leader, remember. And leaders have to do a lot of stuff. Like lead..." he said, expecting the rest of his duties to just follow naturally. But he was at a loss for words. "And a lot of other stuff I just wouldn't expect you to understand. Isn't that right, Ruby?"

"Yup," she agreed. "Leadership stuff. I get that."

Jaune nodded. "But I guess I can try to make some time to do some training with you." He flashed a sly grin. "Since you really want to."

The look on her face was priceless when she heard what he said and how he had said it. His purposeful implication had not gone unnoticed by her. If looks could kill he would have been dead where he stood. But he had decided that if he was going to be getting his butt kicked by her while training he may as well get some sort of enjoyment out of it.

The white-haired girl stood and walked over to him. Looking up at him her expression had not changed. "Tomorrow. Sparring chamber. Five o'clock."

Apparently deciding that the conversation was now over she turned to move back to her bed. Until Yang spoke up.

"Oh?" she cooed. A wide grin was plastered on her face as she looked back and forth between Weiss and her new training partner. "What's going on here?"

Weiss glared at the blonde. "Shut up," she said before turning back to Jaune where he stood near the doorway. In a flash she placed her palm on his white breastplate and shoved him out of the room before slamming the door shut.

As he stumbled backwards he heard the muffled laughter of Yang and Ruby from inside their room. Standing against the wall for a few seconds more he sighed before walking off to his own room.

This was going to be interesting.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** No letter this time. There wasn't a need for one, nor was there even time since this chapter takes place directly after the last one. Questions? Comments? Concerns? You know the drill.

The words of House Stark go here.


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's Note:** I'd like to thank everyone for helping make the previous chapter my most successful one yet. Your response was inspiring and hopefully it shows in me being able to write my largest chapter yet this week. I really do appreciate the support I'm getting from all of you. You're all awesome. I'll keep trying to do my best.

* * *

 _Dear Weiss,_

 _First let me express that I am pleased that you seem to be getting along better with your teammate. Not only is it important for the morale of a fighting unit to have its soldiers all on the same page with the same goals, but it is important to have a leader that one may place their utmost faith in. While your leader Ruby Rose does sound like an interesting character it is good that you are finally learning your place. Given time I am sure that you will indeed be able to learn even more from her, and her from you. Keep in mind that one does not have to be in an official position of power in order to exert their influence and leadership. I believe that the greatness in our blood makes this a foregone conclusion. Your strong will and natural born talents may still shine even in a supporting role on your team._

 _However, I am most disappointed in the fact that you did let your emotions get the better of you. No matter what this boy Cardin Winchester did or said to you, it is no excuse for you to behave as you did. Do remember that you are representing more than yourself in your attendance at beacon Academy. You are representing the Schnee name. To act so recklessly and gamble that name could be a disastrous turn of events for your career. And while this boy you chose to wager with is a nobody in the grand scheme of things, failure here will damage the family name nonetheless._

 _The situation may still be salvageable, however. The boy that you said you will be training, Jaune Arc. While my own personal schedule makes it difficult to give this matter my undivided attention, this detail has given me pause. As you may know, the Arc family is well-renowned in military circles throughout Vale and even the whole of Remnant. Their history and legacy of heroism stretches back even further than the founding of the Schnee Dust Company. For you to have_ _formed an academic relationship with_ _this boy is indeed a most interesting turn of events. If the heir to the Arc family is as much of a neophyte as you claim him to be then this presents an interesting opportunity for all parties involved._

 _I wish to discuss the matter with you personally, or at least as personally as circumstances will allow. I remain stuck in Atlas for the foreseeable future and continuing this conversation via mail would be most impractical. While it may take a couple of days for you to receive this letter, I wish for you to contact me via the CCT at you earliest convenience. I shall inform my secretary to be expecting your call. Do try and be discreet in the nature of this arrangement and use a private both at Beacon's CCT tower._

 _I trust in your abilities until we may speak with one another once more. Do not let this opportunity slip through your fingers._

 _Winter_

* * *

Four o'clock. Another day of classes done.

Jaune stood from his seat in Professor Goodwitch's classroom and turned to look at his friends. Pyrrha herself was not present, having been one of two students who had fought in the final match of the day and was busy changing back into her school uniform in the locker room. Nora was happily bouncing in her own seat in excitement now that they were free for the rest of the afternoon. Her antics did little to phase her best friend who remained sitting still, stoic as ever. Jaune wondered if the boy was just letting Nora get all of the energy out of her system before they left. He smiled at the thought. As if Nora could ever run out of energy. Her electric personality never seemed to fade. He wondered if it had anything to do with her semblance of channeling electricity itself. That would explain a good many things.

He took a deep breath. While official classes may have been over his day was truly only just beginning. Soon he would have his second training session with Weiss. He still did not know why. But he decided he would not question it. After his chat with Ruby the other day he knew that receiving help from a friend was never a bad thing. Or in this case, an acquaintance. Was Weiss even an acquaintance? What was a word for a girl who openly displayed disdain and contempt for you? Would that not be an enemy? And if this were the case was it truly wise to be receiving aid from an enemy? He shook his head at the thought while attempting to clear the idea from his mind. Now he was just over thinking things.

He had less than an hour until he was to meet up with her back in the sparring chamber. Looking around the classroom as students were filing out he did not see her. She was probably gone already. A girl who carried herself such as she did likely did not engage in small talk after class. Nor did he expect her to loiter around with her teammates wasting time until their scheduled meeting. No, she was probably already preparing herself for what was to come. Should he not be doing the same then?

He was stirred from his thoughts by the voice of his teammate. "What do you think, Jaune?" Nora asked him.

He looked over at her, eyes looking into her own as he struggled to think about what she had said. But he came up empty. "Huh?" he asked. "Sorry, I kind of zoned out for a second. What did you say?"

"I said what do you want to do now?" she repeated. "Classes are over and we have the whole day ahead of us."

"Oh. Um, I have to do something in about an hour."

Nora hummed in interest. "What's this? Our fearless leader making plans without us? What's the meaning of this betrayal?"

Jaune put his hands up defensively. "No no, it's nothing like that. It's just, um, a little personal project I'm working on. Nothing too big."

Teal eyes gazed into his own searching for any signs of deceit. She smiled happily when he assumed she found none. "Okay!" she said cheerfully. "How long will that take?"

He shrugged. Truthfully he did not know how long it would be. An hour? Two? He could not imagine it going for too much longer than that. Especially in their first true session. Weiss had said yesterday that she had just been getting an idea of what he was capable of when she had attacked him and asked to see him attack the training droid. He did not know what today would consist of or how long it would take. But he decided to make a rough guess.

"Maybe an hour," he answered. "Hour and a half tops. Don't worry, we'll hang out after that."

"Promise?" she said, leaning in close. She stood on the tips of her toes in an attempt to compensate for the massive height difference between the two. And despite being a foot shorter than him Nora still managed to be an intimidating little ball of redheaded energy.

"An Arc never goes back on his word," he smiled.

His teammate nodded with approval at his answer. "Then that's good enough for me," she said as she reached out to grab Ren out of his seat. "Come on, Ren. Let's go grab some food. I'm starving."

Jaune watched as Nora grabbed her best friend by the arm and dragged him after her. The classroom had almost completely emptied out by this point. It was about time he left as well.

As he exited the room he wondered what he would do with the little spare time he had at the moment. His stomach seemed to answer the unasked question for him. While he would not be joining his team for what was sure to be a lengthy and not to mention filling meal, he did feel as though he needed a little snack before his work began. Making his way to a vending machine he saw a variety of tasty, if not unhealthy treats that were available to him. Candy, chips and some items that were by comparison considered healthy lined the rows. But there was one thing in particular that caught his eye.

After inserting the appropriate amount of lien and pressing the correct buttons he watched as the item of his desire began to move forward. Hoping against hope that this would not be the day that the vending machine decided to be difficult and deny him of his prize, he was satisfied when the package did indeed tumble from its slot and into the bottom of the machine. Reaching down he picked up his small bag of beef jerky and looked at it with delight. Already the saliva was building in his mouth in anticipation for devouring it.

It had not lasted long. After only a few minutes it was empty and Jaune sought out a trash can to throw the empty package into. Lien well spent in his mind. A meaty snack full of protein for a training body. The food of champions. Well, technically speaking Pumpkin Pete's Marshmallow Flakes would be the official food of champions since it did feature Pyrrha on its box covers. But beef jerky was a delicious second. And first in his heart.

Jaune wandered around aimlessly for a while before pulling his scroll out. Still twenty minutes until their scheduled training session. It did never hurt to be early. And he honestly had nothing better to do. Maybe he could even impress the high-strung girl by being early. He smiled to himself. That was one thing he had noticed about her some time ago. She was always so serious. So literal. Easily set off. Quite honestly the comment he had made to her the other day had been by design. Seeing her get upset over nothing had been amusing. He wondered just how far he could go before she finally snapped.

He set off to the locker room that he had become very familiar with over the past few weeks. He still remembered how he was unable to find them on initiation day. That had been the first time he had met Weiss in fact. To ask for directions. It had not gone well. Nor had their second meeting. Or their minor run-ins with one another through the friendship between other members of their respective teams. And if he was being honest their sparring session had not been the greatest of interactions either. She talked down to him like he was some sort of idiot. And while he would be the first to admit he did not have the best grades, he was not stupid. Yes he did enjoy playing the fool at times. And maybe he was not always the smoothest guy on campus when it came to the ladies. But he was far from the moron she believed him to be.

After changing into his combat attire he stepped out of the locker room and approached the sparring chamber. Taking out his scroll he saw that it was still ten minutes to five. He would show her that he did indeed know the meaning of proactive.

Pushing open the doors he expected to find himself alone once more, but this was not the case. In front of him Weiss was already there performing basic stretches in preparation for physical activity. She looked up at the sound of the opening doors and froze. After a moment she stood up to her full height.

"You're early," she told him.

Jaune shrugged. "Is that a problem?"

She blinked and remained silent for a couple of seconds before replying. "No." A pause. "I just do not care for surprises."

"Oh. Sorry?" he asked hesitantly.

She waved her hand. "It's fine."

 _Note to self. She doesn't like surprises._

Jaune decided to mentally tuck away that little piece of information for later use. Whether it would be for good or bad purposes he did not know. But the idea of picking up on the little things was something he had gotten from first Blake and then Weiss herself. On both occasions he found himself thinking how the two girls were always studying the people and environment that surrounded them. They were always taking in information and learning. It was a trait he had decided he would actively start to emulate. Notice the little things and learn from them. The fact that Weiss did not like surprises was the first in what he was determined would be many new facts that he would learn.

"So what are we doing today?" he asked her.

The girl folded her arms. "The discipline I intend to teach you comes from the Atlesian School of Fencing. It is an art that I have studied since I was young. Given the fact that you and I both use swords in combat I believe it will be your best hope for improving your severely lacking skills."

Severely lacking skills. She was still not holding back. But she was still not wrong.

"Okay," he said cautiously. "I think that's a little bit extreme, but you're the expert."

Her eyes were cold when she looked into his own. "What's a little bit extreme?"

"To go all the way to Atlas to go to this school," he explained. "I mean we're already here at Beacon. Isn't that good enough?"

Weiss opened her mouth to speak but no words came out. Inwardly Jaune grinned. He knew what she had meant. But this was just too much fun.

Her mind was finally able to formulate words. "No, you dunce. There isn't an actual physical school. When I say the Atlesian School of Fencing I mean it as a form of combat that is studied all over the world."

"Oh," he said with an exaggerated nod. "Gotcha."

She sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose with a pair of fingers as she did so. "Okay. Now that we have that out of the way let us go over how we will proceed from this point forth."

"Sure."

She clasped her arms behind her back as she began walking. "The foundation of any good warrior is conditioning," she explained. "Swordsmanship will not be enough if you want to be the best. Therefore you will begin an intense program of not only strength training, but cardio as well. Skill with your sword will be useless if your body is unable to wield it."

Jaune nodded. It made sense. He was never the most physically imposing young man like Cardin for example. However he was not weak either. Puberty alone had broadened his chest and increased his muscle mass, but he knew it would not be enough in a world where he had to slay monsters. As for the cardio aspect of the training, he did have a thin, lanky body. He could run with little difficulty that may have hindered larger and more bulky people. But he could always use more endurance.

"Okay," he agreed.

"Therefore in addition to daily training sessions here," she continued as she paced back and forth. If he had to guess he would say that she actually enjoyed the feeling of lecturing others. Perhaps one day she would make a fine teacher much like Professor Goodwitch. He pitied any potential students of hers. "You will alternate every other day between cardio and strength training. An hour minimum in the gym lifting weights on one day. And for the other I expect you to jog three miles to begin that portion of your training, which will increase in distance every two weeks."

Jaune's heart skipped a beat. Suddenly this training idea had become a lot more serious. What had began as simply learning how to better use his sword was quickly becoming a much bigger thing.

If she saw the shocked expression on his face she did not acknowledge it. So he decided to speak up. "Um, isn't three miles a little extreme? I mean back in physical education class at my old school we only ever did one mile tops."

Weiss stopped in her tracks and looked at him. "This isn't for fun anymore," she said darkly. "What you do at Beacon has real implications and consequences."

She sounded quite serious when she spoke of consequences. And again, it made sense. She was correct. Once they were away from the safety of the school, the safety of the walls of Vale, he and his friends would be putting their lives on the line every day. Criminals and terrorists he had heard about such as the White Fang could kill you without a second thought. And the Grimm out there would kill you without any thoughts at all.

He sighed at the realities. "You're right," he admitted. "You've obviously put a lot of thought into this."

She nodded proudly. "Well someone had to."

Someone indeed. But why her? And why him? The two of them went together about as well as a Vacuan street merchant at a formal ball. The thought that had entered his mind yesterday returned. Only now he felt a little bit more bold. That, and he was more curious to learn the answer now.

"So, why do you want to train me?" he wondered.

Weiss glared up at him, her icy blue eyes revealing nothing. Her face was neutral as she spoke. "As I said yesterday. You have a team to worry about now. You need to get better."

Again, she was not wrong. Still, why her? She did not seem like the most charitable of girls. So what was her incentive for wanting to this with him?

It was anything but normal. In fact it was so unlike everything that had happened before between the two teens that an idea suddenly entered his mind. An idea that was so important that it drowned out the whatever words she was saying now.

 _You fool!_ he mentally chastised himself. _The girl you've tried to get to know better like twice now is trying to willingly spend time with you! You know what this means, right?_ Jaune tilted his head thoughtfully as his internal conversation continued. _The Arc charm has finally worn her down! She totally wants to be your friend! It may have taken a while but I finally broke through the Ice Queen's walls. Wait until I tell Ruby._

"Are you even listening to me?" she said harshly.

 _Okay maybe she has her own unique way of showing affection. But still, this solves all of your problems. You didn't want people to fight your battles for you. You wanted to improve. And what better way to get better than with the help of what's basically a professional fighter? You don't even have to tell her why you suck so badly! Because she wants to help you! Because she's totally all about the friendship! Clever girl, this whole 'training' thing is totally just a way for her to spend time with you. Combine this 'training' with your own studying and there's no way you can fail. No way you'll let your team down. No way you'll let the family down._

"I swear if you keep ignoring me I'm going to bludgeon you to death with your own shield."

"What?" he said suddenly. "No, I was totally listening."

Her icy expression gave him chills. "Then what did I just say?"

"Oh, um," he stuttered as he sought to buy time. "That you would beat me to death with my own shield?"

"Before that."

He bit his lip as his mind struggled to think of an answer. In reality he had no idea. He had been too lost in his own thoughts of how Weiss must have completely changed her opinion of him. And honestly he could not blame her. The Arc name was about more than just its military heritage. It was also about charisma. And Weiss was just the latest victim.

Weiss sighed, once more breaking him from his thoughts. "Never mind. I should have expected this lack of focus from you."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"You have zero discipline," she told him. "For example, when you fought against Cardin Winchester and then myself, you completely lost your focus on the fight once you got frustrated and started swinging wildly with that sword of yours. It is one of many terrible habits that must be broken."

He recalled the times that she spoke of. First against Cardin when he had been brought down to a knee as the larger boy slammed his mace down on his shield again and again. Jaune had grown tired of being on the defensive and so began to lash out with Crocea Mors. The only blows that had struck his opponent were ones that Cardin wanted to block. Other than that the attacks were avoided with ease.

The same had applied to Weiss just yesterday. Only there he had not even landed a hit. She was faster than anyone else he had ever seen in battle except for Ruby. And that was only because his friend's semblance was speed itself. The way in which Weiss moved with her rapier was quick yet graceful at the same time. There was never wasted movement with her. Every action seemed to have a purpose. Was that what she would in time teach him to do as well?

Jaune shrugged as if he was a younger version of himself having been scolded by a teacher. He did not have much to say in response to Weiss' remarks.

Seeing him respond she continued. "But before we get to that we have to start with the very basics." She sighed, looking frustrated. Oddly enough it was not directed towards him. "Footwork. Let me see your footwork."

An odd request. But one that he would comply with.

Jaune pulled out his scroll and began tapping around on it. It did not take long for his actions to earn Weiss' ire.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"What?" he answered innocently. "If I'm going to show you my footwork I need some music to dance to."

She stared at him. He could have sworn he saw an eye twitch. Twice. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath before speaking. "This has to be a joke."

"What? When you think about it dancing and fighting are kinda-"

"No," she cut him off. "Not another word. I refuse to believe even _you_ are that dumb."

"'Kay..." he said as he shoved his scroll back into his pocket. "So what did you mean then?"

Another deep breath. "Swordsmanship is about more than just swinging your weapon," she stated. "It's about motion. Momentum. Stance. Speed. All of these things are based on your footwork."

He looked down to see that she had begun to focus her weight on the balls of her feet. How she was managing to do that while wearing heeled boots he had no idea. At the same time she had drawn her rapier and held it out in her left hand. Her legs were angled in a way so that the left one was out more forward from her body. Her head was facing left as well.

"Look at my feet," she explained. They were in a constant state of motion, almost bouncing up and down. The movements could be measured in millimeters with how subtle they were. She was like a spring ready to uncoil. "You can see that I am not flat-footed. By staying on the balls of my feet I am always ready to move. Momentum will already be on my side when I decide it is time to strike my opponent or react to their own attack. If I were to keep my weight on my heels as you do the only thing I could effectively do is stand still and take hits."

That was indeed what Jaune had been doing. It had made sense with the use of his shield. He needed to have a sturdy foundation so that he could use the shield effectively. At least that was what he had thought. But apparently he was wrong. It would not be the first time in his life.

"I can perform a number of actions in this position," she continued. "I can advance," she said with a quick couple of steps accompanied by a thrust of her rapier. "I can retreat," she said as her blade was brought back up into a defensive stance and she hopped away a few feet. "I can circle left or right around my opponent to make them change their own position as well. The point is that because I already have a starting momentum I can seize the initiative at my leisure with the proper footwork. Now you try."

He drew Crocea Mors and transformed the weapon's sheath into its shield mode. Being right-handed he naturally held the sword with his dominant hand and shield with his left. But he mimicked Weiss' own stance the best he could, facing left with his shield held close to protect the side of his torso and Crocea Mors up around stomach high.

Keeping the weight on the fronts of his feet as she had he realized that it actually was a little bit like dancing. Growing up with seven sisters he had had little choice in the matter when it came to learning the art. And much like what Weiss was trying to teach him, footwork was important. To be flat-footed on the dance floor was to invite disaster. And the wrath of your partner when you inevitably stepped on her toes.

It felt natural to move like this. He shuffled forward a few steps with his shield raised before delivering a slashing attack with Crocea Mors. Combined with what he had learned the previous day about wasted movement it was a rather good looking attack. But that's indeed all it was. In a controlled environment like this with no actual danger he could take all the time he needed to make it look nice.

Still, his movements had obviously surprised Weiss. She stood off to the side with her rapier at her side and her remaining hand on her hip. But it was her raised eyebrows that told the whole story. "I'm actually impressed," she admitted. But her genuine reaction was soon replaced with her more familiar tone. "Beginner's luck I'm sure."

"Maybe," Jaune said as he lowered his weapon. "But it really is a lot like dancing. The whole footwork thing at least."

She brought a hand up to massage her forehead. "You really weren't joking about the dancing thing."

He shook his head. "I never joke about the torments that my seven sisters put me through."

"Seven sisters," she pondered. "I can only imagine the torment that you put _them_ through."

"Hey, I'm not the one who forced them to learn anything. It would be different if I had made them learn something manly like how they made me learn something girly."

Weiss let out a soft laugh. "It would be different if you had anything manly to teach them in the first place."

Ouch. That had hurt. But it was not surprising. She saw an opening and had taken it. As if it had been a chink in the armor of her opponent and she thrust her rapier straight into its weak point.

"Real funny," he sighed. "Can we get back to this training thing instead of insulting me?"

"I can do both," she told him. "I happen to be a very good multitasker."

"I'm sure you are."

"But you are correct," she admitted. "We aren't here to discuss all of your negative aspects. We're here to remedy them. For the rest of the session we will drill your footwork. I want this to become second nature to you. I want you to not even have to think about doing it while you're in a combat situation."

Jaune nodded. Raising his sword and shield once more he got back into his newly adopted combat stance and began to go through the motions. A slash through the air with his sword.

"Again," Weiss told him.

Another slash.

"Again," she repeated.

Another. Each time Jaune had his mind focused on his lessons. Keep your feet in motion how she had done. Always ready to move. Always in motion. And do not leave any wasted motion with your weapon. No fancy moves. No exaggerated attacks. Simple. Swift. Fluid.

"Again. You must be perfect."

They spent the better part of an hour practicing these movements. Sometimes Weiss moved alongside with him mimicking his actions. At other times she acted as a faux opponent for him to move against to see what effects his footwork would have on her. And on a few rare occasions she had even began to attack back, forcing him on the defensive. The first time she had done this he had become entangled in his own feet and fallen backwards. She had shaken her head at this, but they resumed immediately after he had picked himself up.

It was indeed almost like dancing. Two partners moving simultaneously, their feet guiding the movements of their entire bodies. Truthfully his past experiences with the art made it a lot easier to learn. But he knew it was only the first step in his first lesson. There was an entire world of combat techniques out there that he would be studying. And his past would not always be there to aid him on his journey.

* * *

It had been several days since Weiss began her training program with Jaune. In that time she had stuck with the lessons on footwork each session. He would have to be built up from nothing by the looks of it, and thus such basics were essential. By his own admission he had learned dancing which was actually aiding in the process. It was a most unexpected development that led to an equally unexpected result. He had picked up the techniques quicker than she had thought he would. However he was still a long way from being combat ready.

After their latest meeting Weiss had learned that she had received mail from back home in Atlas. Seeing how it could only have been from one person she tore open the envelop with delight when no one was around to see her. It would not do to let others see anything more than the prim and proper girl she had been groomed into. She was a Schnee. And appearances mattered. Blood mattered. Family mattered.

That was why the letter was so important. Winter was the only person she truly felt comfortable around. Even though her older sister was equally as cold and aloof as she was herself, the two shared a bond that stretched back to their childhoods together. And no amount of formalities could ever break the bond between the two sisters.

It was the content of the letter which was the surprising thing about it. Weiss had fully expected that in time she would receive a reply from her sister. The only question was how long it would take. However when she read what Winter had wrote she had not expected her sister to chastise her to the extent that she had about the wager she had made. Yes, in hindsight it was most unbefitting of her in her position as heiress to the Schnee Dust Company to take on such a challenge. But in the heat of the moment it had seemed like the logical decision. Not only for defending the family name. But for satisfying her own emotions. Winter would understand more than anybody why she had reacted the way she had to Cardin Winchester's behavior. Wouldn't she?

Her mind froze with hesitation. What if the years away from their father had dulled Winter's memories? No, that could not be. Even in recent letters Winter had expressed her frustrations in dealing with their father in both business and personal matters. So surely she would understand her own sister's reasoning for confronting the Winchester boy. But should she bring it up? It was a question she did not know the answer to.

However the most confusing part of Winter's letter had concerned Jaune himself. She seemed to speak of the boy and his family as if she knew them. Maybe not on a personal level, but she was familiar with them nonetheless. And they seemed important. It was in fact the reason Winter had requested a live call over the CCT. Such requests were rare from Winter since she had to juggle her duties to the Atlesian military along with being a liaison to the family company. On top of all that being in different time zones made calls such as these a nightmare to coordinate. But this seemed important. Weiss was determined to find out why.

It was why she was wearing a smile on her face. Another wave of excitement hit her as she neared the tower. Of course under normal circumstances Weiss could have simply used the terminals in Beacon's library to make her call. But Winter had specifically requested in her letter that Weiss use a private booth. Thus a special trip to the tower itself was necessary.

Inside the tower there were a number of students standing at smaller terminals already in what could be called the structure's lobby. After heading to the elevator and verifying her identity via her scroll she felt herself travelling up. The ride was smooth and quick, as could be expected from Atlesian technology. It was amazing that this technology was produced as a result of a war. A war of ignorance and oppression. But as Winter had said in the past, war was the great innovator of mankind. It was that great conflict which had produced the Cross Continental Transmit System as well as the Huntsman Academies. Even simply battling the Grimm on a daily basis ad resulted in the discovery and innovation of dust. And that led to all varieties of new and deadly weapons that could be seen just by walking around the campus of Beacon Academy for an hour.

A quick glance above the elevator doors showed that she had passed the standard floors in which most people used to make their calls. Such areas were public and very much open where rows of monitors and keyboards lined the desks. The only privacy a person was afforded was a tiny wall which blocked the views of the people on either side of you. However any random stranger could still see who it was you were speaking to simply by walking behind you. And anyone in the vicinity could hear your conversation. This was in Weiss' opinion the only flaw in the system. Luckily there were the private booths for those who were willing to pay for the service. And luckily for her money was not an issue for someone such as herself.

Weiss felt the elevator come to a halt, and the doors slid open a moment later. Stepping out she entered a long hallway with doors on either side of her. She walked several feet before choosing a random, unoccupied booth on her left. Placing her scroll once more onto a smaller terminal, she heard a small click signaling that the door had been unlocked. Stepping inside and closing the door behind her she took a deep breath before sitting down. Before her sat a single, lonely screen. Its blank green surface stared back at her. It along with the desk it sat atop and the chair were the only things in the room. It was what she had come to expect from Atlesian technology. Minimalistic but efficient. Unlike the other three kingdoms, Atlas rarely took advantage of the arts that many fought so valiantly to preserve in the Great War. They expressed themselves through the sciences and their military more than aesthetically pleasing visuals. The design of the CCT showed this.

Unlike in public terminals there would be no holographic operator to take her call request. It was a private booth after all, and making someone else privy to her actions would defeat the purpose. Instead it was an automated, robotic sounding male voice which greeted her.

 **Hello. Please select a payment type before continuing.**

Before her were two options, credit card and lien. While she easily had enough lien on her to satisfy the cost she instead chose to use her card. Despite both coming from her monthly allowance it felt as if the lien in her pocket was more her money. It was a physical and tangible amount of currency that could be held in her hand rather than the idea of money that would be paid back on a later date. And it was more important to keep _her_ money than that which was provided by her father. It was an odd and hypocritical distinction to make, but she made it nonetheless.

After completing the transaction and taking her card back from the slot it had been inserted into the voice returned.

 **Perfect. Please enter the number you wish to call on the keypad.**

It was a private number. Another reason she could simply not go to the public communication room and use that to contact Winter. It would be a long and arduous hassle to explain to the operator that she wanted to call her sister's personal extension at a military facility in Atlas. Much easier to simply enter the number herself and be done with it.

Several seconds ticked by after Weiss had initiated the call. But soon enough the screen before her lit up and a female face appeared on it. Dressed in the usual white uniform of the Atlesian military, the woman's blonde hair was worn up in a professional manner. The hard blue eyes that were typical of Atlas looked back at her, which looked somewhat intimidating despite thousands of miles separating the two of them. She was likely a trained killer much like any other soldier in that complex. Luckily Weiss was not a typical person and the woman's eyes did nothing to affect her. She had grown up with far worse.

"Good evening," the blonde woman greeted her. The fact that it was evening there spoke of the time difference that they faced. "How may I assist you?"

"Hello," Weiss greeted. "My name is Weiss Schnee and I wish to speak with my sister Winter."

The cold, expressionless face of the woman betrayed no emotion when she spoke. A tell-tale sign that she was indeed of Atlesian birth. "Of course. Ms. Schnee has informed me to expect your call. Please hold while I transfer you to her directly."

"Thank you," Weiss said with a curt nod. She did not smile. The gesture would have gone unappreciated by the other woman.

The screen once more went blank. Seconds passed. Seconds which seemed to last an eternity. But finally a human torso once more appeared on the screen. Winter had arrived.

Immediately Weiss felt her back straighten to give herself proper posture. Her shoulders were flat and rigid and her head was held high. It was strange. Even after not seeing her for so long and being separated by such a long distance her sister still had this kind of effect on her. And it was not out of fear of being reprimanded by her elder sibling. It was out of the desire for respect. For acceptance. Weiss admired her sister more than anyone or anything else in the world. All she had ever wanted was to be more like Winter. From her intelligence to her martial prowess to her willingness to step out into the world on her own, Weiss desired nothing more than to emulate the woman. And therefore having her approval was of paramount importance.

Looking at Winter was like staring into a mirror that showed one their own future. The same cold, icy eyes Weiss had looked back at her. The older woman's face was more mature, but the sisterly resemblance was there. And while Winter's hair was worn up like the secretary before her, the same pristine, white color matched Weiss' own. The only major difference between the two was the fact that Winter did not bear a scar on her face. At times it made Weiss self-conscious, wondering what could have been if not for that incident.

"Good evening, Winter," Weiss began. "I apologize for calling you at what must be a late hour, however this was the most opportune time to speak with you uninterrupted due to my schedule here at Beacon Academy."

Winter nodded. "It is nothing to be concerned over, however the sentiment is appreciated," she said with as much comfort as a cold winter morning. It was not out of any kind of malice or ill-will. It was just the way that she spoke. "I am pleased that you have been able to contact me with such expediency."

Inwardly Weiss beamed. Of course she had. She would never pass an opportunity to speak with her sister. Especially not at Winter's own request. But she knew that she had to remain professional. She had to refrain from letting her emotions spill forth. Winter was not the kind of person who appreciated such displays of affection in professional environments. Weiss wondered if this call qualified as one.

"Of course," Weiss agreed. "May I inquire as to the reasoning behind the importance of this call? Not that it is any sort of hindrance, I am merely curious as to your... interest in my classmate."

Winter's head tilted slightly. "Getting straight to the point, are we?"

Weiss stopped. As she thought about it what she had done was quite rude. There was no small talk. No catching up. It was akin to diving straight into the entree at an important business dinner. Her father had always stressed proper pacing when it came to negotiations. The need for patience. The importance of setting the proper mood so that all parties were comfortable. She had failed to do so.

"I'm sorry," she winced. She attempted to calm her racing mind down. "How have you been, Winter? It has certainly been a while since we have spoken like this."

"Too long," Winter agreed. There was a faint hint of amusement in her voice but she did not let it show fully if it was indeed there. "I am doing well. Business in Atlas is progressing smoothly as always. With the exception of certain... classified incidents which have occurred recently, that is." She let the words hang there for long moments before she continued. "And how have you been, dear sister?"

Classified incidents. Weiss could only imagine what they entailed. Knowing her sister's line of work and her family connections she had a clue as to what they could be. "Fantastic. Thanks to your advice I am already performing my duties as a member of Team RWBY much better than I was previously. As you may remember I had a little talk with one of my teammates, Yang Xiao Long. I learned much from her that day."

Winter nodded approvingly. "Good. It is important that you never stop learning. Even from those who you feel you have nothing in common with."

"I agree."

"Even from those you may feel that you hate."

Weiss stopped herself from repeating her previous response. Surely there was something specific behind those words. She just could not figure out what. And she could not bring herself to ask. Instead she chose the diplomatic route.

"I see," she answered neutrally.

Winter let a long breath out through her nose before continuing. "And how has your time away from home been? How are you adjusting to life at Beacon Academy?"

For the first time since the conversation began Weiss let a smile creep onto her features. "I have been enjoying my time in Vale so far. The independence is refreshing. And I believe I am proving to both myself and others that I am responsible and mature enough to live a life of restraint and discipline without the need for others to watch over me and regulate every aspect of my life."

Winter's cold eyes bored into her. Seemingly searching her sister for anything she might have been holding back. "Is that so?"

"Yes," Weiss confirmed with a nod. "So if and when father inquires as to my well-being you may pass this information along to him."

"You know you cannot avoid him forever," the older woman said knowingly.

Weiss knew that. But she also knew that she would not have to. She only had to avoid the man for four more years. In just one more year she would be of legal adult age. But in four years she would graduate from Beacon and be a true huntress. After that she would owe nobody and no corporation her allegiance unless she herself was willing to give it. And whether or not she would immediately return to Atlas to continue learning more about her family company she could not say. Because once she became a huntress it was the people of Remnant who would be her top priority.

"I know."

"However _when_ he does choose to contact me again under the pretense of a business call, I will indeed give him an update on your situation, as well as your regards."

Weiss smiled in appreciation and nodded once more. "Thank you."

"Now then..." Winter began, her gaze never breaking from Weiss as she spoke. "Since formalities have been covered I believe it is time to approach the reason for this call."

Weiss nodded. She was as curious as to Winter's interest in Jaune as she had been about anything in recent memory. "Indeed," she agreed. She decided to lead off the conversation by being open with her sister rather than asking a question directly. "What would you like to know, Winter?"

Winter's eyebrows raised slightly in interest. And Weiss knew why. There she had been attempting to be sneaky. Attempting to obtain information from Winter without actually inquiring as to what she had wanted. Because based on what Winter herself asked, that would tell Weiss much about her intentions. And by the looks of it Winter had not fallen for the ploy.

However, it did not stop her elder sister from playing along. "Very well. We will start out with the simple things. Tell me, what does the boy look like?"

An odd question. But simple enough to answer. "He's tall. Above six feet by perhaps an inch or two. Blonde hair, blue eyes. Average build."

"And does he wield Crocea Mors?"

Weiss' eyes squinted in confusion. "I'm sorry. I'm not familiar with that term."

"Crocea Mors is a longsword," Winter explained. "A legendary weapon forged at the birth of the Arc family line. And every famous Arc warrior throughout their history has carried it into battle."

Now it made sense. That sword that Jaune possessed was named Crocea Mors. That marvelous masterpiece of a blade that he had no business in owning. She remembered him saying that it had been passed down his family line for generations. Winter had only further confirmed how old it really was.

"Oh, of course," she said. "Yes. He does indeed carry that."

"That weapon has quite a history behind it." Weiss saw that her sister was going into full Atlesian military mode now. She had more knowledge of weaponry than even Ruby, and years of combat experience to legitimize it. "Some say that the blade never loses its edge. Others say that it was woven with enchantments at the time of its forging, and speak in terms of fairy tales like the Four Maidens." She snorted softly at the idea. "And others say that it may have gotten its name from the fact that the mere sight of the sword would cause those who saw it to turn and flee before inevitably being cut down as they ran."

It was rather eerie how much Winter knew about a sword. And the Arc family for that matter. It made it that much easier for Weiss to ask her next question. "Winter, may I ask why you know so much about the Arc family and their sword?"

"Any good student of history should be familiar with the exploits of the Arc line," she told her. "And while in this time of peace their star has fallen noticeably, they are still regarded well in the military circles of Remnant's kingdoms." Winter paused to gauge her sister's reaction before continuing. "The Arcs are legendary warriors whose line stretches back to times of legends and fairy tales, if such stories are to be taken at face value. Stories of Alastor Arc cutting down Royalist forces and being the first into the breach of Vale's walls during the Great War. Or Azure Arc leading the desperate rearguard action in a last stand at the disastrous Battle of Fort Castle, allowing the forces of General Lagune to escape following the general's capture."

Oh yes. Winter had most certainly entered into full-blown military history mode. Here she was spouting off detailed accounts of battles and soldiers that Weiss had only been vaguely familiar with at best. Even now she was only just finishing up studying the Faunus War in which the Battle of Fort Castle took place. But in her reading of the school textbook she had not caught any mention of the name of Azure Arc or his role in the battle.

So Jaune had a storied and prestigious family. Weiss could relate to that all too well.

Furthermore Weiss was flabbergasted by just how much respect her sister was treating the Arc name. How did such a family produce someone like Jaune?

"I assume you have seen the statue in the courtyard of Beacon Academy?" Winter asked.

The question snapped Weiss back into reality. "Yes. I have."

"Please examine it closer the next time you pass by it."

Weiss nodded. She would not ask why. Only obey her sister's request. "I will."

There was a brief pause in the conversation before Winter continued. "You mentioned in your letter that you are training with the Arc heir. What exactly does this entail?"

"Not training with," Weiss corrected her. "Training period. As in how to even use his sword and shield."

A slight frown crossed Winter's lips. "This time of peace we live in has been harsher on some than others," she mused. "However as I alluded to previously, this presents us with an opportunity. If the boy is as raw as you claim him to be then he is much like a block of clay. And as a Schnee you are an artist who will be able to mould him into a work of art rather than what he is currently. No matter where he may be on life's path right now, one irrefutable fact is that he has Arc blood running through his veins. That alone gives him more potential than the commoners who are your peers at Beacon Academy."

"Winter, I must confess that I am uncertain as to why you seem to believe there is anything exceptional about him or his family. What is so special about them?"

"The Arc line is known for their massive Aura pools and keen warrior intellect. These are attributes which have contributed heavily to their success and fame on the battlefields of the past."

Weiss realized that another mystery had just been explained. In her first spar against Jaune his Aura had taken many direct and punishing blows from her attacks. Yet when she was confident that he should have been in the red Jaune was still at nearly two-thirds strength. Winter had merely confirmed how large his Aura must have been.

She decided to explain as much to her sister. "I noticed his Aura after our first match. I could not believe how much he possessed. I thought there may have been something wrong with the meter, or that I was merely pulling my attacks."

"No. That was merely the potential he possesses in his blood."

Weiss nodded. "So far potential is the only thing he has going for him. Jaune Arc is an absolute disaster of a fighter."

"You certainly seem to have many negative things to say about this boy. Which is unusual since your confession about training him was the first time I have ever seen you express interest in a boy at all."

The last sentence grabbed Weiss' attention. She looked incredulously at her sister. "What? Winter, did you have to phrase it like that?"

The older Schnee's eyes narrowed. "Is there something factually incorrect about my statement?"

"Well, no. But the way you said it implies-"

Winter cut her off. "Gossip is for people beneath your standing. Let them worry about implications. You are Schnee. Do not concern yourself with the opinions of others."

It was a lesson that had been drilled into her head, into both of their heads, since they were young. The lions did not concern themselves with the opinions of sheep.

Winter's studious gaze fell on her sister. What she was searching for Weiss could not say. "However since you have broached the topic, it is never too early to consider your options for marriage. Especially when it comes it comes to the suitors that father has in mind." Weiss wondered briefly if Winter was speaking of her own past experiences. That was before the full meaning behind her sister's words hit her.

The realization prompted an outburst of sputtering from Weiss as she attempted to form words. "What? Me? _Him?_ Surely you must be joking."

"It would be most prudent of you to find a suitable candidate of your own choosing rather than relying on father to provide a suitor for you," Winter emphasized. "You are approaching prime child-bearing age. Tell me, have your hips widened at all to reflect this since your last medical examination?"

Weiss was mortified. This was not at all what she had been expecting to discuss when Winter had written to her. She could feel her heart rate increase and face flushing in the embarrassment of discussing such a personal topic.

It was becoming difficult to maintain her composure. "Winter... why are you talking about ideas like these? This is absurd!"

"I am merely considering the practical benefits that the progeny of our two bloodlines would inherit. Natural born warriors with the gifts of the Arc's Aura levels and the Schnee semblance combined with the resources and training of the Schnee Dust Company would produce truly legendary hunters. Tall. Blue-eyed. Fair-haired. It is a smart match, Weiss. I believe it is in the best interest of our family for you to seize this opportunity and begin working toward this outcome immediately."

Begin working toward this outcome... the implication hit Weiss harder than any combat instructor or tutor ever had. What Winter was asking her to do... to do with _him_...

It was all too much. Proper etiquette and manners had their place. Even her admiration for her sister had its limits where a subject this intimate was concerned. Weiss had been pushed too far. The warm feeling on her face was proof enough that she could not hide her frustration and embarrassment from her sister. She snapped without another thought.

"Well if you admire the guy so much why don't you go marry him and have his children!" she practically yelled out at the face on the screen.

Winter's lips began to curl into the ghost of a smile. "Do not tempt me, sister. A girl should be so lucky to find a man with Aura levels and... stamina as high as his."

It had been too much. For the first time in forever Winter had broken first. A single soft giggle escaped her mouth. The smile could no longer be contained.

Weiss' eyes widened at the sight before her. "Winter... are you... teasing me?"

Winter's eyes looked up as she gave a slight shrug of her shoulders.

It was indeed too much. Weiss broke down. She laughed. For the first time in ages she laughed. Fully. Genuinely. Heartily. There was no formality here. No politics. No business. No need to keep up appearances. For the first time in what felt like years they were sisters and nothing more. There was no heir to the family business. No specialist in the Atlesian military. No huntresses. They were as they had been when they were just children. Before they had been given expectations beyond those of normal people their age. Before their father had begun exerting his influence in an attempt to guide them to the futures that he desired for them.

The worries and embarrassment she had felt just moments earlier had melted away. It was all a joke. A cruel and very effective joke. And one she would have never seen coming from her normally cold and professional sister. That made it all the more impactful. But here and now Weiss was reminded of just one more facet she admired about Winter. That she could always remove the masks that she wore. Underneath the hard and icy exterior was still the girl she had grown up with.

"Winter," Weiss said as she wiped a happy tear from her eye. "I've missed this. I've missed you."

"As have I, Weiss." She sighed. "However I fear that I must be leaving shortly. Time is a precious commodity in the military, as you will one day learn in your duties as a huntress."

Weiss nodded. "I understand."

"All joking aside, do try and befriend the Arc boy. I was not lying when I discussed his family's heritage and importance throughout history. Having the Arc and Schnee heirs share a professional relationship would be a boon to all parties involved."

Weiss bit her lower lip. At least Winter wasn't discussing obscene marriage proposals anymore. However a professional relationship with him... even that would be difficult. Jaune Arc had proven to be an annoyance at best and a hindrance to her mental wellbeing at worst. The best that she could do at the moment was answer honestly.

"I will see what I can accomplish."

The scrutinous gaze of Winter seemed to be studying her before she spoke. "Good."

Weiss smiled. "It was really good speaking to you again."

"Indeed it was. Until next time, sister."

The screen went blank. Weiss leaned back in her seat finally feeling all of her muscles beginning to relax. That had been a most unexpected experience. Just about everything that had been discussed was new information.

It gave Weiss much to think about in the coming days.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** So... Winter has pranks. I'd like to think that it keeps in line with her character since we saw in Lessons Learned that she has it in her to be warm and playful with Weiss. Specifically when they're alone together, when it comes to Weiss' allowance being cut off and her potential job as a receptionist for their father.

Also that part she jokingly mentions blue-eyed and fair-haired children. My own headcanon is that Atlas is kind of like pre-WW2 Germany. A militaristic society that is big on science and technology, and produces disciplined and professional soldiers. Oh, and also most of the named characters we see from there have blue eyes. All three members of the Schnee family, General Ironwood, Ciel Soleil... Even Neon and Penny have light colored eyes.

I'm basing the Atlesian School of Fencing stuff on an actual centuries-old historical practice, the German School of Fencing. It taught longsword combat in addition to other forms of armed and unarmed combat. Purely coincidental that it fits with my headcanon too.

So what do you think about the stuff our characters did and learned this chapter. Agree or disagree with the direction it's going? I'll do my best to address any concerns you may have. Thanks for reading.


	8. Chapter 8

**Author's Note:** As always thanks go out to all of the old and new readers alike. It still shocks me that even a month later there are new people finding this and being interested enough to follow, favorite or review. As of posting this chapter I've hit 300 follows. That's just... incredible. Thank you all so much. Knowing that people care truly is a motivator when it comes to getting a chapter out every week. I wasn't that fortunate in the last fandom I wrote for.

I saw that a lot of people liked that Winter scene last chapter. Both in reviews and on a random forum I found while derping around on the internet, as I tend to do. Would you believe me if I said that was supposed to take place like 2-3 chapters ago? But other stuff and ideas just kept getting in the way. I love Winter's character and don't feel there's enough of her on this site or in this story. So I'm trying to think of more ways to include her in a pre-volume 3 setting.

Also a few chapters ago I mentioned an idea for another story I would be working on. I managed to write the first chapter for it, but I think it's safe to say I won't be doing anything major with it until this story is close to being finished. Unless things change drastically. Oh well. Gives me more time to think of ideas. Of which I already have a ton of.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy this latest chapter.

* * *

It never ceased to amaze Weiss just how quickly the man moved.

Weiss sat in Dr. Oobleck's classroom watching the professor move around the room as if he had wheels on the bottom's of his shoes. She wondered how he managed to be so energetic and active all the time. Was it really only the coffee? Did it have something to do with his semblance? Or maybe he was just naturally insane like Nora Valkyrie. She did not envy the quiet young man who was her partner.

The entire class had handed in their research papers at the start of class. Weiss was quite pleased with hers. She had put a lot of time into it, much of it before she had begun training Jaune after classes. So there was no chance of being distracted or having to split her attention between the two tasks. It was almost a guarantee that it would be another perfect score. And with that she would maintain her ranking near the top of her class. Winter would be pleased with that. Only a handful of students actually posed a threat to her when it came to grades. Pyrrha and Ren were her closest competition. It still stung her at times that she had been unable to secure the champion fighter as her partner. But she was learning to adapt.

Dr. Oobleck continued bounding around the room as he rattled off facts about the Faunus War. Or as he called it, the Faunus Rights Revolution. Both names were acceptable. But one merely had a more sympathetic connotation than the other. That was one reason Weiss referred to it as she did. Because out of the ashes of war had emerged the terrorist organization known as the White Fang. And she refused to sympathize with that sort of filth.

The chapter covering the Faunus War would soon be finished and they would be taking their test on the subject material tomorrow. At this point they would soon be covering the climax of the war, what many believed to be the turning point, the Battle of Fort Castle. Weiss was already well-read on the topic. In addition to her own studying for her assignment as well as simply reading the textbook, she had learned a small tidbit from Winter the other day. A more personal detail concerning one of her peers.

Weiss looked down a couple of rows below her to see Jaune. His arms were laid flat across the desk and his head was resting comfortably in them. She could only roll her eyes at the sight. Did he seriously not care if anyone saw him doing that? If Dr. Oobleck saw? She briefly wondered if the professor even had noticed at all. He was always moving so quickly and never focusing on anything for more than a single second. It may in fact be that Jaune was getting away with sleeping through class because their instructor had not noticed. And perhaps he never would.

Oobleck stood in front of her own seating section. "Now, last class we left off just prior to what many consider the turning point of the war. Can anybody tell me what incident I am referring to?"

An easy question if one had read the material. Weiss raised her hand.

"Ms. Schnee."

"The Battle of Fort Castle," she said with confidence.

"Correct," he said before dashing off to the right. "Up until this point in the war the human forces had every advantage. Manpower. Industry. Technology. However as history has shown time and time again it is not always the side with the most physical and technological advantages that wins the war."

That was the truth. Whether one called it a war or a rebellion it was clear that one side clearly outclassed the other.

The forces of humanity had attempted to confine the faunus species to the island of Menagerie and they had the capabilities of doing so. One of the strongest pieces of pro-faunus propaganda was that humans were attempting to literally cage those who they believed to be animals in one giant island zoo. The rhetoric sparked outrage and led to massive numbers of recruits to swell the ranks of the faunus war effort. But in the end sheer will and fervor were not enough to overcome the might of the human forces. The faunus army was outclassed in armor, air power and logistical capabilities. And that should have proved to be their undoing.

"Spurred on by numerous victories by other commanders, the human forces under the newly appointed General Lagune became arrogant. As the overall commander of the war effort he had at his disposal the largest army and finest troops available. And under increasing pressure from the government to bring the war to a swift end he was determined to bring the faunus forces to battle at Fort Castle. Now for those of you who are unaware, Fort Castle is a strong defensive position that should have taken months to besiege before it would be forced to surrender or endure a direct assault."

Weiss was sure that Winter would have loved to be in this classroom right now. In fact her sister would probably be raising her hand in order to tell Dr. Oobleck information that not even he knew about the battle in question.

"However this did not happen. As I said General Lagune was not only arrogant, but also inexperienced. Where other generals would have taken a more protracted approach to the war, as they had done for the past near three years, the government wanted someone who they could control. A puppet commander, if you will. So they installed General Lagune as the overall commander. And he decided to take Fort Castle not over the course of months as a more seasoned general would have done, but in a single night."

So the guy was a complete moron. Weiss had read enough about him to gather that for herself. She looked back down at Jaune. What would his... who was the man to Jaune exactly? His grandfather? She was unsure as to the relation between Jaune and Azure Arc. But she wondered what the man was doing while General Lagune was busy blowing the war for the rest of humanity.

"And so it was that General Lagune launched a direct assault on the fortress under the cover of darkness, hoping to catch the faunus forces by surprise. Unlike past battles of the war there was little in terms of preliminary artillery bombardment or air strikes. Lagune wanted the attack to catch the enemy off guard and thus the use of force beyond what had been the norm would have alerted them to the danger of an imminent assault. However, as many of you may already be aware things did not go as the general had planned. Who can tell me why?"

It was another answer that she knew. But she did not want to answer again so soon. She would be charitable and allow someone else to gain a few points of favor from the teacher. Weiss was after all a Schnee. Philanthropy was in her nature. She looked around to see if anyone would raise their hand.

No one was overly eager to answer. It made the already hyperactive teacher even more tense. "Surely someone can tell me the advantage that the faunus has over General Lagune's forces."

That was when she saw the piece of paper fired from Cardin's seat smack Jaune in the back of the head. The blonde boy awoke with a startled yelp. It only earned the attention from Dr. Oobleck. Finally.

"Mr. Arc?" he asked. His tone made it clear that he was stunned. "Do you believe you know the answer?"

What followed was a disaster. Jaune had no idea what the answer was. And that odd considering the role that his family had played in the battle. If what Winter said was true, and she had no doubt in her mind that it was, then he should know this. Now was his chance to answer and impress Dr. Oobleck for the first time the entire semester. And yet he struggled. He always seemed to struggle.

"I, um..." he said, obviously still half asleep. The other half was ignorant. It was not a good combination to have. "I don't know."

"Mr. Arc, if you did not know the answer there was no reason to get my attention," Dr. Oobleck said with a sigh. "The answer is night vision. Many faunus possess perfect night vision and this allowed them to not only see the attack as it approached, but it allowed them to completely turn the tables on the human forces and surprise them. The hunters had quickly become the prey. And soon enough the army of General Lagune was routed and forced to withdraw."

Well, there went that opportunity. Clearly the boy needed help not only in his physical training but mental training as well. However she was not about to sign up for that train wreck of a task.

Still, it was odd that Oobleck was skipping over the part that Winter had told her. Weiss looked down to the embarrassed and defeated form of Jaune who had laid his chin back down atop his arms. He was not attempting to sleep again, but merely make himself as small as possible to avoid the looks from classmates who found him being at the center of attention to be amusing.

Weiss rolled her eyes. Jaune would be in no condition to train later in the day if he was depressed. If that idiot needed more confidence then maybe she would be able to provide some. She was after all a philanthropist. She raised her hand once more.

After a few seconds Dr. Oobleck's eyes were drawn to her once more. "Yes, Ms. Schnee?"

"What about Azure Arc?"

His head tilted in curiosity. "Go on."

"After the defeat at Fort Castle and capture of General Lagune, Azure Arc led a rearguard defense which allowed many of the human soldiers to escape."

A tiny smirk formed on Oobleck's face. "Very good, Ms. Schnee! I'm impressed. Judging by the level of detail you've given on material that was not found in the textbook I would say we have a real student of history on our hands here."

Weiss flashed her well-honed smile at the praise. It was not her answer, however. And she was not the true intelligent one. It was Winter. It was all Winter. Even now Weiss was pretending to be her. Emulating her as she always had. As soon as Dr. Oobleck turned away the smile fell from her face.

"For those of you who are unaware of what Ms. Schnee is talking about, there was indeed an incident after the main battle. Colonel Arc commanded a portion of the human army, and as he learned that the battle was lost and that General Lagune had been captured the army began to rout. But in the darkness there was absolute chaos. Madness. Panic. Morale was shattered. No one could see who was shooting at them or from where, and it was not uncommon for human forces to kill one another thinking that they were the enemy. All the while faunus forces closed in, able to see completely normally. There was the threat of a massacre until Colonel Arc was able to rally some of the men and hold a defensive position while the rest of the army retreated."

Weiss felt good about herself. Maybe a little public praise of the idiot's family would lift his spirits. She looked down to see if it had worked. She frowned. There he was, his head still resting on his arms. What was his problem? Should he not at least be showing some interest in his famous ancestor right now?

"It was thanks to this heroic sacrifice that thousands of soldiers survived. Colonel Arc was posthumously promoted to Brigadier General and awarded the Medal of Valor for his actions. The human army was eventually able to regroup and continue fighting for a number of months after this, but things were never the same. Humiliated by the defeat and under growing public pressure from both faunus activists and the human civilian population, the government came to terms with the leaders of the revolution and peace was restored."

Posthumously promoted? Winter had not mentioned that Azure Arc had died in the battle. Could that be why Jaune was not excited about the topic?

A new voice spoke up. "So you're telling me Arc here is related to some war hero?" Cardin asked.

"That is correct," Oobleck said.

"So where did Jaunie-boy here go so wrong?"

A few people laughed softly. Most just Cardin's teammates. But it was enough to earn a glare from not only Weiss, but the rest of her and Jaune's teammates.

"Sounds like someone's jealous," Yang said.

Cardin scoffed. "Of what? Him? Please."

"Yeah. Probably afraid his ancestor's more of a badass than you'll ever be," Yang smirked. "'Cause we all know how hard you try."

A few more laughs, this time from an entirely different crowd. It only served to agitate the large first-year student. While normally not a fan of Yang's mouth, Weiss was happy to see Cardin get put in his place.

"Whatever," he waved dismissively "Who cares about what happened a few decades ago. What matters is what we do here and now."

And then to her surprise it was Jaune who spoke up for the first time since his little night vision debacle. "Look, you really don't have to do this," he said to Yang. "Or talk about my grandfather. It's okay."

Weiss' eyes narrowed. What was his angle here?

It seemed as if their instructor had finally had enough of the bickering, judging by the new serious tone in his voice. "That is quite enough, children," he said quiet sternness. Weiss took note of how he had called them children for the first time that she could remember. While technically true, Dr. Oobleck mostly referred to them as students when speaking to the group. Perhaps this petty display of adolescence prompted him to address them as such. "As for you, Mr. Winchester, history is the foundation which our society is built upon. The reason that you, your classmates and even Beacon itself exist all owe their thanks to history."

Cardin shrugged as he looked away from Oobleck.

"Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it," the professor continued. "Which is one reason we are studying the time in history that we currently are. The Faunus Rights Revolution has produced dramatic effects which are still being felt to this day. From the rise of the White Fang to continued discrimination and racism." His tone became lower with his next words. "Even here at this school."

Weiss' attention was once more drawn to Cardin. While she had no love for the faunus species, and especially not the murderous thugs of the White Fang, she did not openly discriminate against them. Unlike the actions that she had seen from the boy in question and his team.

"Which is why it is important that you learn this material and understand how it has not only affected the people who lived through it, but how it affects your lives as well."

She knew all too well how it affected her life. Once the White Fang had devolved into what it was today they had made it their mission in life to destroy her family.

"In any case, let us return to the subject at hand," Oobleck said as he finally dove back into the consequences of the battle.

For the rest of the class there was a mixture of lecture and discussion between Dr. Oobleck and the class. But Weiss did not participate as she had before. She was left with more questions in the back of her mind that had not existed before. Was Jaune willingly or unwillingly ignorant of his family's past? If it was the former, why? Furthermore, why did he not wish to discuss the man? Surely it could not be due to the fact that a man he had never even known had died many years ago.

Her curiosity burned now. And that vexed her. Because it was for him of all people. He may have been a dullard and a buffoon. But he was a dullard and a buffoon with a family legacy. And she wanted to know how and why he had turned out so differently to another person who lived with the burden of a family legacy to uphold.

Herself.

* * *

Another day done. Another day just beginning. It was a routine Jaune was beginning to get used to.

Thus far he and Weiss had focused purely on the basics of combat. The first step, no pun intended, was his footwork. She had been surprised with how quickly was able to pick up on the finer details of what she was teaching, but in his mind it was not so different from dancing. He had explained as much to her. And it was no great shock that she brushed off the explanation as simple luck before moving on. But so far things were going as well as they could.

As Jaune made his way towards the familiar room he hoped that they would begin going over something new today. Something besides just dancing for lack of a better term. Because as he was quickly discovering, what was fighting if not just lethal dancing? He always had to be on his toes. He always had to be ready to move, to shift when the tone changed. A slow reaction would mean ruining the dance in one case. However, a slow reaction in combat would mean potentially ruining his life.

Reaching for the doors he heard sounds from within. Mixed in was most definitely a female voice. That was odd. Was Weiss already underway without him? He decided that this would not be unlike her. Weiss was a driven and studious girl. When she put her mind to something she went all out. And that included her training schedule for him. He wondered how much time and thought she had put into their lessons together. If he had to guess it would be a lot. Between this and studying and training on her own she must not have had much free time together. But then again she did not seem to spend a lot of time with her team outside of mandatory sessions. They did not get along all too well. He doubted that she considered the other girls friends. He wondered if she had any friends at all at this school.

Other than him, that was.

In the back of his mind he still believed that he had finally broken through. Despite her treatment and attitude towards him, he wanted to believe that his words and gestures of friendship had finally broken through her icy shield. And that was why she had decided to spend time with him like she had for the last week. If that was indeed the case then he would not let her down. He would continue to attend their lessons together for not only his benefit, but for hers as well.

Pushing through the doors and looking down to the arena before he saw that there was indeed action. Only not that kind he had been expecting to see.

Two of the very girls he had just been thinking about were down in the fighting portion of the sparring chamber. Ruby and Yang traded blows with one another without the use of live ammunition or dust in their weapons. In a sanctioned fight in Professor Goodwitch's class the teacher would always be there to oversee the action and repair any damage done by the students. But that was not the case here, and so fighting was restricted to purely hand to hand combat using both close quarters weapons as well as bare fists. For Ruby that meant that she could still use Crescent Rose minus the sniper rifle capabilities. And for Yang, she was restricted to just her close range ammunition that would fire when she landed a blow on her opponent. And judging by what Jaune was seeing she would not be landing many.

Ruby was fast. Super fast. Faster than even Weiss. The young girl was able to dodge and weave through Yang's punches when her sister managed to get past her guard and close enough to use her shotgun gauntlets, Ember Celica. As soon as Yang had nearly landed a blow Ruby would race back hoping to put some distance between the two and allow her to use her massive scythe. Ruby's weapon needed distance to use even without the use of its firearm capabilities, and Yang getting close prevented this in addition to being in range to land her own punishing strikes.

Jaune's eye was drawn to the single person who sat in the spectator's section of the sparring chamber. The telltale sight of white hair pulled in an off-center ponytail meant that it could only be one person. She too was watching the fight, her back to him as she stared at the action that was going on below her. Jaune decided to make his way down to the row of seats she occupied.

He was still curious about how and why Weiss knew about his grandfather as much as she did. What she had mentioned was certainly not in the history textbook for their class. He would know considering that he had actually done the assigned reading. It shocked him too, but he was determined to improve himself in more ways than one.

But despite his determination it had not prevented him from falling asleep in class today. It wasn't just the fact that certain lectures by Professor Port or Dr. Oobleck were boring. Jaune was exhausted. Between his solo training in the morning, a day of classes which at times included Professor Goodwitch's combat lessons and then Weiss' training after class it left his body tired and bruised. Not even his Aura made him unbreakable. He wasn't super human. Or was he? What would one consider a huntsman? Not that he was a proper huntsman yet. But he was on his way.

As he neared Weiss' seat he realized that she did not realize that he was approaching from behind her. It was not as if he had suddenly developed super sneaky ninja skills akin to Ren's. But the fight occurring in the arena between the two sisters was too loud for normal activity to be heard. When he reached her row he saw the side of her face. She had still not noticed him. Her eyes were focusing intently on what was happening before her and nothing else. Jaune envied such concentration.

He walked down most of the length of the row to a couple of seats away from her before speaking. "Hey, Weiss."

The slight jump in her shoulders told her that she was surprised by the greeting. When she turned to look at him the expression on her face only confirmed it. That signature icy glare of hers bit into him before taking on a more neutral look. "Jaune," she said evenly.

He took a seat close to her, leaving one chair empty between them. The last thing he wanted to do when he was making progress was overstep any boundaries. "We were scheduled for five, right?"

Weiss exhaled sharply as her eyes were drawn back to the fight. "None of our meetings are ever officially scheduled. We were always simply fortunate enough that the student body is too lazy to train on their own time."

"Oh. Well it's still nice that you're here supporting your teammates I guess."

"I had no choice."

Had no choice? That didn't sound like the Weiss that he knew. Not that he knew her particularly well. "What do you mean?" he asked.

"They saw me enter. It would have been rude to simply turn around and walk back out immediately."

"I see." He looked back at the spar going on below them. Ruby and Yang were still going at it. And by the looks of their Aura meters they did not look like they would be quitting anytime soon. "So I guess we just wait until they're done?" he asked.

Weiss said nothing. She only continued to watch her two teammates.

"Guess that's a... actually I don't know how to interpret that silence."

Another sigh escaped the heiress' lips. She was not happy. That was as clear as day. And he had a good idea as to why. Weiss Schnee did not like surprises. And for this to happen, to have what was quickly becoming a routine suddenly halted by the unexpected appearance of two other students, was quite the surprise. Was that the reason she was staring at them so intently? Was she silently willing her eyes to shoot laser beams at her comrades below?

"I don't know when they will be done or if we will get our own training in," she began, a hint of agitation in her voice. "But this experience need not go to waste."

Experience? What experience? Jaune turned to look at her with his usual confused expression. It was one that he had given to the girl many times over the past week. The phrases and ideas she spoke to him were second nature to Weiss. She knew them like the back of her hand. But there was so much new information he was having to absorb on the fly that most of the time he could only furrow his brow and ask for it to be explained further. It was annoying. Not because he needed help. Of that he was painfully aware already. But asking as many questions as he did made it even easier for her to treat him like a child. And in her eyes his inexperience probably justified it as well.

Well, no harm in continuing the trend. "What do you mean?" he asked.

Her gaze had still not broken from the fight. "What do you see down there?"

Jaune looked back down to the sisters. Ruby was continuing to dodge and evade Yang's strikes. All the while she was pursued which made it impossible for the younger girl to bring Crescent Rose to bear. Surely enough even to his untrained eye the fight did not seem to be going anywhere fast. It was a constant game of cat and mouse, with the mouse being too fast for the cat to catch and the cat being too persistent to give up the chase. Was that the answer that Weiss was fishing for?

"A fight that's going nowhere," he said, running with that line of thought. "Ruby's too fast for Yang so she'll never catch her."

"Correct," Weiss said simply.

Was that it? What kind of experience was that? Jaune looked back at her expecting some sort of follow up but after long seconds nothing came. He looked back to the fight to see more of the same. He could even hear Yang beginning to yell at her sister to stand and fight.

"You can tell a lot about a person by their fighting style," Weiss said suddenly. "Things like attitude and personality. So I'll ask again. What do you see down there?"

Jaune looked closer at the fight. Ruby was still avoiding. Yang was still chasing. Only now the curse words were flying from the blonde's mouth more frequently than before. And he could have sworn that he saw a glimmer of a smile on Ruby's face when she stood still long enough for him to get a good look.

"I don't know," he admitted. "By your way of thinking wouldn't Ruby be a coward for avoiding Yang like that? I don't think she's afraid of anything to be honest."

A few more seconds of silence passed before she spoke again. "Perhaps we're going about this too quickly," she mused. "Or from the wrong angle."

"What?"

"Very well, a new question. Do you feel that you know Ruby and Yang well?"

Jaune pondered the question. He had known the girls for a few weeks now. Ever since his first day at Beacon in fact. It was he who had come to Ruby's aid when she had literally exploded due to an ugly incident with Weiss' dust. And over time he had forged a pretty strong friendship with the girl, and by extension her sister as well. If he had to made a guess he would say that he knew the two as well as he could have.

He shrugged. "I guess. Maybe not as well as you since you're teammates. But yeah I'd say we're pretty good friends."

Weiss nodded in acknowledgement, still not looking at him when either spoke. "Then tell me how you think they would fight based on their personalities."

For the first time since the conversation had begun she looked away from the fight and turned to face him.

"Um, well I guess-"

"Don't look at them when you answer," she ordered. "Close your eyes."

Jaune frowned but wound up doing as he was told. He closed his eyes and began thinking about the question that had been posed to him.

"Well Yang is kind of wild," he began. "Jokes a lot. Doesn't really care much about what other people think. Which is why she gets away with making all those horrible jokes," he said with a laugh.

He heard Weiss snort. " _Hilarious_ ," she agreed sardonically. A moment passed before she spoke again. "You said she's wild. What else?"

"Well, she does have kind of a temper," he continued. "Like I remember the night before initiation I heard her yelling at you about something. Not a lot of people would feel comfortable about doing that on their first day at a new school with a person they'd just met that day."

Silence. It was awkward. Especially since he had his eyes closed. But finally Weiss broke the calm. "And?" she asked.

"And... what?"

"What does this tell you about her fighting style? Try to keep up, Jaune."

He frowned once more. Did she have to be so straightforward? He was doing his best after all.

He continued to wrack his brain about what she could be getting at. That was when he heard more commotion from the arena below. More than just the sounds of fighting. The irritated yelling of Yang challenging her sister to stand still and take the punches like a real adult would. And he could have sworn there was something about milk mentioned, but he could have just been hearing things.

Jaune's eyes burst open with sudden realization. He looked over to see Weiss still staring at him expectantly. "Her temper," he finally answered.

Those piercing blue eyes of hers did not budge with his answer. Instead she just continued with her questioning. "And?"

"She loses her temper in fights?" he said, half statement and half question.

Weiss picked up on it immediately. A frown creased her face. "Are you asking me or telling me?"

She sounded like a true teacher now. Such a sassy response was like hearing a language arts teacher in action when one of their students spoke to them with poor grammar.

"Telling you," he said quickly to clarify his answer.

"Now put two and two together."

Jaune rubbed the back of his neck nervously, finally having enough of the girl next to him staring expectantly into his eyes. He looked back down to the fight to see Yang getting increasingly agitated. It only helped to solidify his next response. "She's losing her temper in the fight," he said as he watched. "Because she's kind of hot-headed in real life."

Weiss nodded before finally turning back to the action. "Correct."

Jaune felt relieved. As he had just passed some important exam in Dr. Oobleck's class. It was not too far from the truth. Only it was Professor Schnee's test that he had taken. And she was almost as frightening as Professor Goodwitch.

"Personality transfers into fighting technique," she explained. "And vice versa. Fighting technique is a window into a person's personality."

He nodded. "Okay."

"With proper training and conditioning either of these two things may be changed." She paused before uttering her next words. "So what is it that you are hiding from, Jaune?"

Jaune felt his heart freeze at those words. Turning to look at the girl he could see that she was staring back at him once more. If his blood had not already gone cold it would have with the icy glare that she was giving him. The girl never seemed to have an expression on her face other than neutral and angry. This was somewhere in between.

His mind spun as he tried to figure out what exactly she was asking and why. Memories of Dr. Oobleck's class and his own questions from a few minutes ago came to the surface. "What?" was all he could muster.

"Your first instinct is to hide," she stated. "I saw it both in your fight against Cardin and in our first training session. So I will ask again. What are you hiding from?"

He looked away, unable to meet her gaze any longer. "I don't know what you're talking about."

But Jaune could feel her eyes still boring into him as she spoke. "Then why don't you look at me when you say that?"

"Maybe your instinct thing is wrong," he said hurriedly. "Maybe you can't figure out everyone's personality by how they fight."

As if on cue there was a large explosion from the arena. Both teens looked down to see a crater in the floor where Yang had fired a projectile shot from Ember Celica.

"You were saying?" Weiss said smugly.

That had certainly not helped his case. He ground his teeth together thinking about how Yang's fiery personality had only reinforced Weiss' point.

The victory was short-lived however as more destruction began to pile up in the sparring area of the room. Yang had decided to completely lose control of herself. The blazing blonde hair that glowed atop her head only confirmed it.

Shot after shot was unleashed from Ember Celica and tore large chunks of concrete from the floor. The protective energy barrier shielded the audience section of the room from any of the blasts and resulting shrapnel. However the sheer amount of damage that was being caused to an area that was not supposed to endure that sort of punishment was enough to cause the two spectators concern.

Jaune stood from his seat at the sight of the increasing amount of damage. "What should we do?" he asked.

With a sigh Weiss brought herself to her feet as well. "Nothing," she said simply before turning and walking towards the aisle between the sections of seats.

He followed after her, not quite knowing what else to do. This chaos was sure to bring the attention of Professor Goodwitch. She would not be pleased. And he did not want to be there when an unhappy Goodwitch showed up. Ruby and Yang may have been his friends, but he wanted no part of the situation that they, or more specifically Yang, was dragging them into.

They escaped the sparring chamber and the entire building complex as quickly as they could. Neither wished to be there to witness the wrath of their professors once they learned of the destruction. Once outside Jaune saw Weiss' eyes look up to the sky. There were still a few hours of daylight ahead of them, but the sun had begun its gradual descent below the horizon. He wondered if she enjoyed sunsets. Or maybe he was simply reading too much into it on account of wanting to pay closer attention to the details around him.

"There goes our training for the day," he sighed.

"Perhaps."

"What do you mean?"

She looked down from the sky and back to him. "Did you learn anything today?"

Now that she brought it up, he had. Maybe not any new fighting techniques. But he had indeed learned something about fighting. And the importance that personality played in it.

"I guess so," he admitted.

"Good." Those cold eyes gave him chills once more. "So did I."

Without another word she turned and walked off.

Jaune was left standing alone to ponder the meaning of those words.

* * *

Ruby winced at the continued bombardment that she and Yang were enduring.

"What were you two thinking?" the angry voice of Glynda Goodwitch said loudly. It wasn't quite a yell... yet. But there was enough force behind it to know that she meant business. "As faculty members we entrust the students a certain degree of autonomy so that they may hone their skills on their own time. You took that trust and threw it in the trash as far as I'm concerned."

Ruby looked down at her feet. She never enjoyed being disciplined. Well, of course not. No one did. But it was extra bad for her. She never wanted to escalate the situation. She never raised her voice back in defense even in the times where she did feel that she was in the right. Not that this was one of those times of course. But Ruby had never been comfortable with confrontation. She would normally apologize, take the verbal beating and accept the punishment.

Yang on the other hand was not so easy to deal with.

"So we wrecked the floor a little bit," the blonde said, her eyes locking with Glynda's. "You fixed it, didn't you?"

"My abilities to repair the school's campus is not what we are discussing," Glynda said sternly.

"I mean, we're training to be fighters. Warriors. Huntresses. Do you expect us to go around battling Grimm with pillows or something?"

"I expect you to show the restraint befitting of your position as a protector of humanity."

"We were just sparring," Yang said with an exasperated sigh. "There was no one else around who could get hurt. That's why the shield's there."

It was just like her sister to not back down. Despite both sides having arguments to justify their views, Ruby firmly believed that she and Yang were in the wrong. They had broken the rules. And now it was time to accept the consequences. And yet Yang refused to accept that. If she saw a sliver of hope in getting out of this by arguing then she would go all out.

"The point is not who may or may not have gotten hurt," Glynda explained. "It has to do with restraint and respect for the rules of this school. Both of which you clearly lacked by this little demonstration."

"Well maybe the rules should change for a _combat_ school," Yang said bitterly. "Where people _fight_ and learn how to _kill_ monsters."

"Watch your tone, Ms. Xiao Long," Glynda warned her. A shiver ran down Ruby's spine. The last thing she needed was her sister to get into even more trouble. "You may be a fine fighter for your age, but do not think for a moment that this is the only aspect of being a huntress. That is why you are here at this school. To learn how to be a huntress. Not how to be a gladiator."

Yang seemed to have no response to that. Did she know that she was beaten? Or had she finally realized that continuing to argue would go nowhere? Either way Ruby was happy that the issue seemed to have been settled.

Glynda pushed her glasses up closer to her face. "You two both have a week of detention. Starting tomorrow."

"What?" Yang said angrily. All of her fire and fervor had returned in an instant. Thankfully not literally when it came to her semblance. "That's BS! Ruby didn't even do anything!"

"What did I tell you about your tone?"

But Yang did not care. "I was the one who wrecked the arena! Not her!"

"Speak to me like that once more and you'll double your detention." The words were slow and deliberate. They made the threat all the more impactful.

Finally Ruby spoke, if only to try and deescalate the situation. She put a hang on her sister's shoulder. "Come on, Yang. Let's not make things worse."

She felt Yang take a deep breath before continuing. "Fine. A week."

Glynda nodded, her hard eyes never budging from Yang's own. "Then I will see you two both tomorrow."

Without another word Yang turned and stormed off. Ruby was quick to fall in line behind her. She had to walk extra fast to keep up with the long strides of Yang's legs. It wasn't fair. Why was she so much taller? Yang was only two years older than her. Maybe she just needed more milk. That should solve everything. Right?"

Ruby saw the blonde's fists clench once they were out of sight of their teacher. The girl halted and turned to face her sister.

"I can't believe she's punishing you," she said angrily. "It's not fair. I'm the one who lost my temper. I'm the one who blew holes in the floor. So I'm the one who should get punished."

Ruby shrugged and attempted to rationalize the decision in order to calm Yang down. "Well I mean it does take two people to fight. If I wasn't there avoiding all your attacks you wouldn't have had to... break stuff."

Yang looked up at her. For a moment those lilac eyes of hers just stared into her own. Then she smiled. And soon a small laugh slipped from her mouth. "You're an idiot, sis."

Ruby pouted. That was the response she had been expecting. "Wha?"

"Only you would try and take the blame like that. Yeah, you should have stood there and been happy to get punched in the face by me. You should have not tried to avoid getting hit in a training session. In fact, the next time we see a Beowolf out there how about you just let it eat you? Wouldn't want to cause it any trouble."

The pout deepened. "You know that's not what I meant."

"No, I know." The smile was still present on Yang's face. So... success? "But it really was my fault. You were smart to avoid me. Smarter to use my temper against me and make me lose control. I guess that's why you're the leader. Strategy and all that stuff."

Ruby blushed slightly at the praise. "Oh stop it," she said softly. Her voice was even lower with her next words. "Please keep going..."

Yang's hands went to her hips as she sighed. "I don't know. It just feels wrong that you have a week of detention because of me. I'm sorry."

"Pfft," Ruby said with a dismissive wave of her hand. "It's cool. We could probably use the extra time to do homework we never would have normally done in our free time."

Yang shrugged before she began walking again. "I guess."

"See? Silver lining!" Ruby said happily, following after her. "So smile, sister of mine! Serendipity or something!"

"That's some heavy alliteration you've got going there."

"Whoa, I didn't even mean to do that!"

"Clueless as ever," Yang laughed.

"Am not!" Ruby whined.

The two headed back to their room. After being drained physically from their sparring session and mentally from their Goodwitch session both girls simply wanted to shower and rest. Studying wouldn't be a bad idea either considering that their test in Dr. Oobleck's class was tomorrow. But even with all of that on her mind Ruby could not help but be drawn back to a single truth.

Weiss had been there in the spectator's seats. But she had not been alone. A few minutes after she arrived Jaune had as well.

Ruby frowned at the memory. What was with those two? It had been bad enough when Weiss had stormed into the library a week earlier and demanded that Jaune meet her in that very same training room. But they had been doing it daily from what she knew. Why? Why were they suddenly so close? It made no sense.

From all she knew, Ruby was not aware of the two being friends. Weiss never spoke kindly of Jaune. She never really spoke of him at all. Not that Ruby was one to bring up the fact that they were spending so much time together, but still. It just did not seem like they were actual friends. So what had prompted this?

She let out a unintentionally loud sigh at the thought. It did not go unnoticed by her older sister.

"Uh oh," Yang said suddenly. She turned around and grabbed hold of Ruby's shoulders. "What's wrong?"

Ruby's eyes widened at the tight grip that Yang had on her. "Wrong?" she said uneasily. A nervous laugh escaped her lips. "Why would you think anything is wrong?"

"Don't give me that. I know you, Ruby Rose. I know when something's bothering you."

Why had she used her full name? That was just odd. Ruby shook her head before speaking. "It's... nothing."

"Aw, come on, sis. You can tell big sister Yang. That's what I'm here for."

Ruby looked down to her feet once more like she had while being chastised by Professor Goodwitch. She really did not like confrontations of any sort. Even this innocent variety. "It's just... have you noticed that Weiss and Jaune spending a lot of time together lately?"

Yang pursed her lips in thought. "Hmm. I did see the two of them up in the stands earlier. Thought it may have just been a coincidence or something."

"Well it's been more than once," Ruby told her. "They've been together like every day for the past week. Do you think something's going on with them?"

Yang sighed and shook her head sadly. "I always knew this day would come."

The shift in tone put Ruby on alert. What was wrong? "What?" she asked worriedly. "What's going on?"

"I always knew it would be a matter of time until my sister started noticing things like this." Yang sighed heavily again before continuing. "You see, Ruby. When a man and a woman reach a certain age their bodies begin to go through changes. These changes-"

Ruby put a hand up to her sister's mouth before she could go and further. "No!" she squeaked. "I didn't mean anything like that!" She took a second to compose herself. "And I already know about _that_ stuff," she said about Yang's own tangent.

"So you do already know about that?" Yang asked as she dramatically placed a hand on her forehead. "I truly must be getting old then. My dear baby sister has already grown up and been exposed to all the cruel realities of the world."

"Yang, please. Can we talk for real?"

All signs of the sisterly joking which Yang loved so much disappeared at the request. "Anything for you, Ruby."

Ruby began walking again, this time prompting Yang to follow her lead. She looked anywhere but her sister's face as she went on. "What do you think I should do? When I asked Jaune he said he didn't do anything special. He just kind of ignored Weiss because it was kinda obvious she didn't want to be his friend. Then one day out of nowhere she just showed up and started spending time with him."

"Is that something you'd be willing to try?"

"I dunno. He also said to maybe..." She looked down with a tiny smile on her face. "Tone down my Rubyness a little."

"What?" Yang asked incredulously. "Your Rubyness levels are perfect. Maybe Weiss needs to tone down her Weissness a little."

And therein lie one of the only problems with the relationship between the two sisters. Yang loved Ruby. And Ruby loved Yang. But there were times that Yang seemed to be a little too overprotective. Sure, on their very first day at Beacon Yang had shoved her out of the nest in an attempt to make her fly on her own and make some new friends. But that in itself was a form of love. Yang wanted what was best for her. And at the end of the day they both knew that Yang was only a scroll call away from coming to the rescue.

She had been right about what she had said to Jaune. He was an impartial listener. And that was why she valued his neutral opinion. He could tell her if she had any faults. He could say that maybe both she and Weiss shared the blame in this issue. It was not an opinion that Yang was likely to have.

"But do you think it's worth a shot?" Ruby asked. "The Rubyness part. Not the Weissness."

It was Yang's turn to frown now. A sign that she was indeed taking this seriously. "If you feel it's worth a shot then go for it. I'll back you up one hundred percent of the way."

Of course she would. There were three things in life she could always count on to exist. Death. Grimm. And Yang being there to have her back.

"Thanks," she said as a smile crept onto her face.

A long, strong arm wrapped itself around Ruby's neck as the two walked side by side. "Aw, don't mention it, sis. You know you never have to say thanks."

Physical displays of affection never hurt so much whenever Yang was involved. "Yeah," she said as she pried those arms off of her. "But still."

"So what are you going to do?"

Grim determination set onto the face of Team RWBY's leader. Silver eyes narrowed with focus. "I'm going to melt those icy walls of hers with an aggressive display of total lack of Rubyness!" she declared.

She saw Yang blink a number of times before she finally responded. "Sure."

Yang didn't understand. Ruby knew this. But it was okay. She didn't need to understand. All she had to do was sit back, watch and be amazed.

Because Ruby knew that she was a totally amazing and super cool girl that anyone would love to have as their partner and best friend.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** A lot of setup this chapter, I know. Questions, comments, concerns? You know what to do.


	9. Chapter 9

**Author's Note:** I know that I've been trying to get a chapter out every week, but I just wasn't able to last week. Truthfully, this was the most difficult chapter I've ever written for any story. It's like I knew what I wanted to say, I knew where it was going, and I knew how I wanted it to end up. I just couldn't put it into words. And that was extremely frustrating. It took a lot of thought and tinkering to get something I was okay with posting. Because sure, I could have forced something out and published it last week. But I wouldn't be satisfied with that. And I doubt you guys would be either. So hopefully this turns out to be enjoyable.

Thanks as always to everyone for reading as well as for the feedback. It took a while to be able to see the reviews for the first few days because of FFN glitching. But I read them all and truly do appreciate everyone who takes the time to do so.

* * *

 _Dear Winter,_

 _I know it has only been around a week since we spoke over the CCT, but the memories are still fresh in my mind. It truly was a joy to actually be able to speak with you once more. I can still look back fondly at the expressions on your face and smile. I have dearly missed seeing you in person, and I hope one day you will come visit me at Beacon. Or, failing that, I hope to return to Atlas at the conclusion of this semester while I enjoy the short break from school. Either scenario would be ideal as long as I get to see you once more._

 _The information you shared with me on that day is still present at the forefront of my mind. Especially that concerning Jaune Arc. I must admit that it came as quite a shock when you revealed to me that he came from a prestigious family. Watching the boy not just fight, but also how he acts in everyday life would suggest the exact opposite. As we discussed before he came to this school as what I would describe a hopeless embarrassment of a fighter. Though thanks to my careful instructions we are beginning to see progress in his favor. For some odd reason, which he attributes to dancing, he is quickly learning the skills which I am teaching. However we are only just now beginning practical combat training away from the basics. Only time will tell how well he handles these next lessons._

 _There is a reason I am so determined to train Jaune. There is something you said in your last letter that I was unable to bring up in our recent conversation, but I feel that it is worth explaining. I know that I let my emotions get the best of me when it came to my wager with Cardin Winchester. And for that I feel utterly terrible. But he is a bully. It just reminded me of father. However where father is scornful and controlling to the point of suffocation, Cardin is a simply physically abusive. And it was not something that I could stand idly by and accept. I stood by passively for too many years before finally taking a chance to make my own way in the world. I hope this gives you some insight as to why I reacted the way I did._

 _Curiously enough Jaune does not seem to take any pride in his family. This is apparent at least from what I have witnessed. Though thanks to your knowledge I learned of his ancestor's roles in some important events in Remnant's history, he does not appear to have knowledge of these incidents. Either that, or he simply does not care. And it is an enigma which I am determined to solve. You and I both stem from greatness, and I take pride in the fact that I am a Schnee. To see someone else with a legacy of greatness turn his back on it is puzzling to say the least. Since you do have an extensive knowledge on the military history of Remnant which does include the Arc line, would you have any insight into this issue?_

 _Other than this things have been normal here at Beacon. Though I imagine what is now normal for me would be perturbing for an average person. I am still near the top of my class in rankings for both combat training and academic studies. In fact I am certain the report I recently turned in covering the Faunus War will receive near perfect marks._

 _I will continue to strive to do my very best and bring honor to our family's name. Please take care of yourself out there, Winter._

 _Love,_

 _Weiss_

* * *

Jaune pushed through the doors to the sparring chamber with unusual enthusiasm. For the first few days he had not known what to expect when it came to training with Weiss. Her reasons for wishing to do so in the first place, while not wrong, still seemed unusual to him. He had formed hypotheses of his own but there was still no proof to any of them. So he went with the flow. If nothing else, even if there was no ulterior motive behind this sudden burst of companionship, he would still improve in his fighting capabilities. And in the end that was all that mattered.

That was the cause of his newfound excitement. He was actually good at what he was learning. For the last week he had been improving his footwork with Weiss and was now quite confident in his abilities. He was not perfect by any stretch. And he could certainly not come close to matching her. The student would not be surpassing the teacher anytime soon. Probably never. But he had improved himself enough to give him confidence. To truly see for the first time in his life that he did indeed have what it took to do this. Jaune felt that his dreams were finally starting to get into his reach. And if he continued down this path he would seize them and never look back.

As per usual the white-haired girl was there before him already preparing for the day's lesson. Jaune wondered if she had a binder with a lesson plan like other teachers did. He wondered if she had the day's events planned out to the minute. How far ahead did she plan? Was there even and overarching plan? All questions he would not dare to ask her, of course. He had come to know her well enough to realize that questioning her was probably a bad idea. Then again, how well did he truly know her? Much like his own partner Pyrrha, Weiss just seemed closed off. Yes, he got bursts of emotion out of her, most of the time anger or frustration. But he could honestly say that he did not know much about her that was genuine. Perhaps he would someday inquire about something personal to her.

She stood there before him with her back turned. It was five o'clock. She already knew that it would be him who made the noisy entrance and so did not even turn to acknowledge his presence. He could only imagine that it was not out of malice. Well, probably not anyway. This was Weiss Schnee after all. But Jaune liked to believe that it was simply out of familiarity at this point. She knew when he would arrive and thus would not even turn to check.

He reached into the pocket of his hoodie and pulled out a piece of beef jerky from the plastic packaging within. Popping it in his mouth he savored the delicious smoked flavor of the meat. "So what do we have planned for today?" he said between chews before swallowing.

The words finally prompted the heiress to face him after she had finished stretching. "We're going to begin something new today. Something I alluded to back when we first started."

"Sounds good," he said as he slid another piece of food into his mouth. "What is it?"

Weiss' eyes narrowed at him. Uh oh. What had he done or said wrong this time? "What is that?"

He gave her a confused expression before finally pointing at his mouth in mid-chew. "Oh, this?" he asked. "Beef jerky." He reached into his pocket and pulled the package out. "Want some?"

"No, I do not want some," she said in her usual stern voice. "And neither should you."

"What? Why not?"

"That filth will do your body no good. It's loaded with sodium and fat. No nutritional value at all. And as I said when we began this training regimen, conditioning is the foundation of any good warrior."

Jaune looked to his tasty treats with a frown. How could it not be good for him. It had protein! And protein was good for muscle growth. But then again Weiss probably knew what she was talking about. With a sigh he shoved it back into his pocket.

"For your information it's delicious filth," he said defiantly.

He was rewarded with a cold stare for his insolence. "You will need to diet properly if you are to get stronger. The food you eat contributes just as much as any cardio or strength training you do."

"Okay, fine," he said. "Can we just get to today's lesson? You said we were doing something new."

Weiss kept her eyes locked onto his for a few seconds more. Finally she nodded. She drew Myrtenaster from its sheath and nodded toward him to do the same with his sword. Jaune complied and with the scraping sound of steel on steel unsheathed Crocea Mors. His shield followed shortly afterward.

"Crocea Mors was crafted to be wielded with both one or two hands," Weiss began. "However for the time being we will be focusing one one-handed techniques. Not only does it allow you to use your shield on conjunction with your sword, but fighting one-handed gives your weapon arm more reach. When combined with your height and reach that should give you an advantage over most foes."

Had that just been some sort of compliment? He didn't think so. But she had acknowledged that he was tall. And that felt good. As one who was vertically gifted he felt proud whenever someone did mention his height. It was something that a shorter person would never understand. Because while a person could gain or lose weight, while they could build or reduce muscle mass, someone could never change their height once they had stopped growing. It was good to be tall.

And then it hit him. So caught up had Jaune been about his height that he had not immediately realized that she had mentioned Crocea Mors. Another question on top of the many which lay in the back of his mind was added to the pile.

Jaune frowned as he spoke. "How do you know the name of my sword?"

Weiss returned the frown with one of her own. "What?"

"I never told you the name of my sword. How do you know it?"

She stood there in silence for long moments. Tense moments. It was not like her to not have a quick comeback or quip. But finally she spoke. "It's a famous sword. Is it not?"

She was not wrong. As usual. She had known about his grandfather and his role in the Battle of Fort Castle. Of course it made sense that she would know about the sword he used in that battle. This was Weiss Schnee after all. The perfect student. The girl who was at the top of the class in both sparring and academic rankings. Why had he doubted her knowledge in the first place?

"Right," he confirmed. "I guess I just thought it was kinda strange. But it makes sense." He paused and let out a sigh. "But you're smart. You would know all about this kind of stuff, wouldn't you?

Jaune found himself looking to the floor when he had said the words. His father was a huntsman. His grandfather and great grandfather were war heroes. And the last two were great men who were still spoken of today. How could he ever honor that kind of legacy? How could he ever carry the same blade into battle as they did?

"Jaune." He was snapped from his thoughts and looked back up. Those blue eyes of Weiss gazed into his own. "What is it?"

Now that he thought about it he had been silently staring at the floor for what was longer than normal. And she had caught him doing so. What could he say in a situation like this?

He looked down at the girl who was now only a few feet in front of him. Despite the height difference Jaune felt himself shrinking before the unflinching stare of the heiress. The petite girl certainly knew how to be intimidating for someone her size. Truthfully she had more in common with some of his younger sisters than someone who was his peer. But that only went as far as physical stature went. When it came to sheer presence she was in a league of her own.

"Nothing," he lied. He had gotten so good at it that he almost believed it himself.

He saw her jaw clench. Not good. But after another few seconds Weiss spoke once more. "If you're going to train today you need a clear head. I don't want what I teach you to go in one ear and right out the other."

Jaune put a smile on his face. That goofy, carefree smile that he wore so often. "Right. So let's do this."

She studied him for a few moments longer before moving on. He was thankful for that. The last thing he wanted to do right now was be interrogated by her. Because he knew that once she started that she would not stop until she had the answers that she sought.

"As I was saying. With the way your sword was crafted," she said, this time not saying its name. "Allows for you to use both thrusting and slashing attacks effectively. While fighting with a two-handed grip would give you more power behind your attacks that would also take away from your defense. And while your Aura is incredibly durable, I feel that it is essential that we focus on your shield for now."

Jaune nodded. While he had fought with only his sword from time to time well before he had begun this training program, he did like the feeling of having a shield by his side more.

"However this does not mean that your shield will be exclusively used for defense," she continued. "Today we will begun utilizing it as an offensive weapon to be combined with your sword."

"Alright. What should I do?"

"First choke up on the hilt of your sword."

Jaune did as instructed, and brought his hand all the way up to the crossguard. He could feel how he would have more precise control over the movement of the blade like this. He could be quicker and more precise at the cost of a few inches of reach.

"Now hold your shield up so that it's covering your entire torso."

Again he did as he was told. Even with his tall and lanky frame the heater shield offered excellent protection to his body. As if it was made just for him. It almost was. Just a few generations off.

"And remember to be in a proper combat stance," she reminded him. "Remember your footwork. Feet shoulder length apart. Knees bent."

This time Jaune almost followed the instructions to the letter. But instead of slightly bending his knees as he knew he should he all but went down into a squat.

"What- no!" Weiss said with sudden agitation in her voice. "Slightly!" she emphasized.

Jaune unbent his knees to position himself into his regular combat stance. As he did so he could not help the smirk that was forming on his lips. It did not go unnoticed by the heiress.

"You are the most insufferable idiot I've ever met," she told him.

It had been worth it. That tone. That outburst of emotion. It was an amazing thing to witness. Yes, it may have been anger. But it was a start. Jaune knew how seriously Weiss took herself. And he was determined to make her let loose from time to time. Perhaps eventually he would be able to teach her something just as she was teaching him.

"An insufferable idiot who you seem to want to spend time with," he countered.

"Shut up," she ordered. Now she was really wearing her emotions on her sleeves.

Another smirk. "Okay," he said innocently as he stood with his shield covering his front. Crocea Mors hung at his right side ready for use. "What now?"

Weiss took a deep breath before continuing. He wondered if she had to take a moment to collect her thoughts after her little display. "I want you to punch out with your left arm. Like your shoving open a door. Don't extend your arm too far though. Like I said, almost a punch. Only with your shield."

Jaune did so, shoving the shield out forcefully before bringing it back close to his side. Afterward he looked over to his instructor. "Like that?" he asked.

Weiss nodded. "Yes. Now do it again, and this time take your sword and thrust it where you just shoved your shield."

He did not know the reasoning behind the new move but did so anyway. He repeated the motions several more times before stopping.

"Okay," Weiss said. "Now you get to do it on a real opponent."

As with their first training session, and Atlesian Training Droid was summoned into the room and stood as still as a statue. Jaune wondered what she had meant by opponent. Would it actually be fighting back this time? Or would it simply be used as practice for this new attack he was learning?

Weiss soon answered his question. "This droid is programmed to defend itself. So when you attack it, it will attempt to stop you. It will even go on the offensive at times. Your task is to destroy it. Understood?"

Jaune nodded. "Got it."

He spun his wrist as he circled around the droid, always on his toes as he had been taught. He was ready to spring forward at a moment's notice to strike at his target. It was just so eerie. The dark grey robot moved with him, turning its own feet to always keep Jaune at its front. The glowing red face lacked eyes, but he could still not help but feel that it was silently watching him, waiting for him to move. He would not keep it waiting for long.

 _Alright, Jaune. You've done this before. No problem. This thing doesn't stand a chance against you. Show it what you're made of. Show Weiss what you've got._

Jaune faked an attack with Crocea Mors, sending the blade out but not far enough to make contact. The droid had reacted, moving its arms to block the strike had it made contact. So it was true. It would actually be defending itself this time. He could not simply hack it apart as he had on the first day.

Another feint. Another reaction. Jaune did not know why he was being so cautious. It was only training. It would not actually harm him. But still. He wanted to do well. He wanted to prove his worth. And that meant taking this seriously. Even if it was only a training droid. And even if it was only in front of Weiss. But he would be lying if he told himself that he did not want to impress the heiress. Maybe if he did she would see him as more than just an idiot.

Knowing that the purpose of this was to practice one simply move, Jaune shuffled closer to the droid to get within range of using his left arm. Mimicking his actions from only a few minutes ago, Jaune lashed out with his shield arm, catching the robot squarely in the chest before thrusting out with Crocea Mors. The strike was caught by metallic arms however, and the attack ultimately caused no damage.

"Stop," Weiss said suddenly, breaking his concentration.

Jaune hopped back a few feet before turning to glance at the girl. But his vision soon returned to his opponent, not knowing if it would try and attack him if he were to get distracted.

"You aimed for its chest with your shield," she told him. "You tried to knock him over with the force of the blow, correct?"

She was on point. She always was. "Yeah," he confirmed.

"That is not the reason for the move. Using your shield in this manner is meant to target the weapon arm of your opponent and knock it away, allowing you to get a clear shot at their midsection. That opening will allow a quick thrust with your sword which will do significant damage and knock them out of the fight. Understood?"

Jaune nodded wordlessly. He spun his wrist again and once more went on the attack.

Getting closer to the droid he kept his shield up and ready. When within range he went through the familiar motion once more. He quickly jabbed his shield arm out, this time aiming for his opponent's right arm rather than its torso. He made solid contact, its arm being sent out from its body and exposing its torso to him. Jaune quickly followed up with another thrust from Crocea Mors, this time sending it plunging into the exposed midsection of the training droid. A small shower of sparks erupted from the "wound", and Jaune felt himself grin in triumph. He had done it. Victory was his.

With a heavy tug he ripped his sword out of the droid and turned to look at Weiss to gauge her reaction. It had been a terrible mistake.

The world spun as a hard metal fist made contact with the side of his head and he was sent sprawling to the floor. He blinked hard as he struggled to regain clarity in his vision. He had dropped his shield somewhere. But even on his hands and knees his right hand still gripped Crocea Mors hard. Jaune forced himself to his feet, head still spinning, picking his shield up once more as he did so.

The droid stood there, still leaking sparks from its midsection but standing nonetheless. Mentally Jaune chastised himself. Its head had still been intact. Of course it wouldn't have been rendered inoperable from a strike like that. It was not a person. It did not have vital organs in its stomach area. And so it would take a lot more than what he had done to defeat it.

Gripping Crocea Mors in anger he moved closer once more. He was not angry at the droid. It was a lifeless automaton. And he was not angry at Weiss. She had done nothing wrong there. In fact she had told him that it would fight back. Jaune was angry at himself. He had made a fool of himself, and that was the last thing he had intended to do in this situation. Not when there was a girl he was trying to impress.

Jaune repeated his earlier actions, once more leading off with his shield before following up with a strike from Crocea Mors. Once more he was rewarded with another clean strike to the droid's midsection, but this time he was ready for its counter attack. A steel fist clanged harmlessly off of his shield, and Jaune took the opportunity to take his anger out on its rightful target. While the droid's arm was still extended from its failed attack he hacked down on its shoulder joint, taking its right arm off completely. Another large shower of sparks poured out from the damaged area. Before it could do anything more Jaune lashed out once more, this time taking the head off of his opponent as he had on his first day of training. The training droid collapsed with the loss of its head, leaving Jaune and Weiss alone on the combat floor.

He exhaled heavily. Not from exhaustion. But because he was still angry with himself. He turned once more to Weiss to see what she would say.

But she said nothing. Her arms were folded as she stood there regarding him. He was met with only the stare of her eyes. Those cold blue eyes. Never quite revealing what was going on behind them. Why was she silent? What was she thinking? What was she going to say?

Jaune decided he would have to speak first. Maybe she wouldn't say anything about that screw up. "So did I do it correctly?"

"Yes." A pause. "Do you understand the reason behind this technique now?"

He did. Rather than relying on his shield as a purely defensive device, he could use it as an offensive weapon to create an opening for his true weapon. And against a live opponent with blood and guts to take advantage of it would be a powerful tool against them.

"Yeah," he confirmed. "Pretty useful stuff."

She nodded in agreement. "So what did you learn today?"

Was that a trick question? He frowned. "How to use my shield as-"

"No," she cut him off. "What did you learn when that training droid knocked you down to the floor?"

There it was. She was not going to let that slide. He supposed he shouldn't have been surprised. In fact there were probably a great number of small details that she was grading him on that he was ignorant of even existing.

"That robots don't bleed like people?" he asked lightheartedly. He wanted to defuse the situation.

Weiss rolled her eyes. "While that may be true, it is not the point I am trying to get across here. Though it does relate to it."

"Right. I assume you're going to tell me to never take my eyes off of my opponent, right?"

She gave him a curious look. She had been doing that a lot lately. "Yes," she finally said. "Perhaps you are not as stupid as I thought."

Jaune raised an eyebrow at the remark. "Thanks?" he questioned.

"However what you did there was foolish and reckless," she continued not even acknowledging his response. "What if this had been real? What if that had not been a sparring droid? What if that had been a creature of Grimm? If this were a battlefield you would be dead."

True enough. It seemed that every time he stepped into the sparring chamber with Weiss he was learning something new. But that was a good thing. Every failure meant that he would not make the same mistake in the future. Every time he did manage to make a fool of himself he eliminated the chance of doing so once again later on. And to him that was a win.

He was surprised when Weiss echoed his own thoughts. "However in the end you're either winning or you're learning," she told him. "And at least you did learn."

"I did," he agreed. "And now I know that my shield is good for a lot more than just defending myself."

"Correct," she agreed. "I want you to make this sequence a regular part of your arsenal."

"Sure, but just a question." He stopped to wait for her approval. It was unbelievable how much he truly did view her as an actual teacher in these situations. When she nodded wordlessly he continued. "Something like an Ursa or Beowolf won't have a sword arm for me to knock aside. So what good is this exercise?"

Weiss tilted her head thoughtfully as she regarded him. "Correct again," she said with a hint of surprise. "If you keep this up I may just upgrade you from idiot to fool."

"What's the difference?"

"Well, an idiot is- never mind. We're getting off track here," she said as she regained her train of thought. "The purpose of the exercise is to condition you to use your shield as an offensive weapon. Not necessarily to use against human opponents exclusively. So when you do face off against Grimm it will be second nature to you."

Jaune shrugged. He had to admit that it made sense. Plus it would certainly help him out in his combat training in Professor Goodwitch's class. And that was always a benefit.

"Now," she began as she took a few steps toward him. "Do you want to know what I learned today?"

* * *

It was the same story again. Just as it had been the previous times. Frustration. Anger. Losing control. It was perfectly clear to her. It would be clear to anybody with a working brain. And as much as she was loathe to admit it the boy did indeed have a working brain. Even if there were times it seemed like he did not. As she had alluded to earlier, he was not as stupid as he seemed. He was indeed a fool, but not an idiot. But sometimes that was even worse. Where an idiot was simple-minded enough to be taught through simple repetition, a fool had a mind of their own. They just chose to use it in less than productive ways.

Weiss' question to Jaune hung in the air for a moment before he responded to it. "What's that?" he asked.

She clasped her hands behind her back as she paced back and forth a few steps in front of him. "I learned that you still get frustrated. Angry, even. And at such a simple mistake." She stopped and spun on her heels to stand face to face with him. "Why?"

It was becoming a pattern. A very troubling pattern. This was the third time she had witnessed him lose control in a fight. And that was a trait that would only lead to his downfall. If Jaune were to let his anger and frustration control him like this then he would not win the fight against Cardin at the end of the semester. He may not even make it as a huntsman period.

She could not train a loose cannon. He had to get his emotions under control. And that meant her confronting him on them. And so far there were several pieces of the puzzle that she needed to be put together. And it was perhaps only his admission that would be able to accomplish this.

He frowned and looked down. "Because it's like you said. It was such a simple mistake. It was stupid."

"It was," she agreed.

"I have to get better," he continued, the frustration creeping into his voice. "Like you said, I have a team to look out for now. How can I lead them if I make mistakes like that?"

He was right. He did have to get better. For both of their sakes. Losing her wager meant far more than losing face to that brute Cardin. It was much more personal than that. It went far deeper. Because to lose here meant she would once more be defeated in a war in which she had never won a single battle. A war against a cold, unyielding giant. All she had accomplished up to this point was to run away to try and fight again another day. But she had to win here. This one small step was a necessary one if she was to ever gain any ground at all. And that was why she could not give up on Jaune.

Weiss Schnee was her own harshest critic. And if she was unable to accomplish what she set out to do then what good was she? What if she failed at becoming a huntress too? What would she do if she was forced to admit defeat and go crawling back to Atlas to her father?

No. Never. She would not allow that to happen. Not now that she was finally free. At least physically. At least for a little while.

However there were still questions which burned in the back of Weiss' mind. The questions which were somehow all linked together that she needed to find answers for. And sometimes the best way to find answers was to fish with a broad question.

"Is that all?" she asked.

"Isn't that enough?"

Under normal circumstances it would be. But she knew it went deeper. Even his actions from earlier today painted that picture clearly. "It is. But I can tell there's more. And I can't train someone who's not being honest with me."

Jaune turned away from her but spoke nonetheless. "You're the one who says she's good at reading people. So what did my fighting style tell you?"

She couldn't help but hear the defiance in his voice. How he was challenging her to either say what was on her mind or leave him alone. Because he wouldn't be spilling any details on his own.

"Just now? That you're frustrated. That you made a mistake and you took it out on your opponent. But more so yourself. It didn't take any special talent to see that."

He stood still with his back still turned to her. His shoulders had slumped just slightly in the past few seconds. "Maybe."

"Why do you get frustrated so easily?"

She saw his fists clench. "Because I have to get better."

"I know. We've already established this. But why?"

Another noticeable shift in tone. Not yelling. But more aggressive. "Because of my family," he stated.

And there it was. The missing link, perhaps. Weiss had known for some time that there was something awry when it came to his family. First in Dr. Oobleck's class. He did not want to acknowledge his family's legacy. He hid away from it. And then today at the mention of his family sword. He again hid, but this time he was unable to steer the conversation away as he had before. This time he was simply unable to meet her own gaze as they spoke about it. The question remained, however. Why?

"Okay," she said as she folded her arms across her chest. "Tell me about your family."

He frowned again. And again he did not look at her as he spoke. "My dad is a huntsman. I have seven sisters."

"No, not them," she clarified. "The ones who you didn't want to acknowledge in Dr. Oobleck's class. The ones who carried that sword before you did."

Jaune let a sigh out as he began to slowly walk over to the seating area. Weiss watched him for the first few steps before deciding to follow. He sat down in the first row. Was he stalling for time by doing this? Or did he really feel the need to sit down before he talked about the subject?

His voice was lower than normal when he finally spoke. "You'll probably think it's stupid."

"We're well past me thinking that you're stupid."

He laughed bitterly at the comment. Well at least that was better than the sulking that he had been doing. "Do you really have to say things like that?"

She shrugged. "What can I say? I'm brutally honest."

"More like honestly brutal."

This time she laughed. It was short but genuine.

"What's there to talk about?" he asked. "Like I said, my dad is a huntsman. His dad was a war hero.. Azure. Died at the Battle of Fort Castle. But you already know about that."

Weiss nodded wordlessly. She said nothing to urge him to continue.

"His dad was a hero. And _his_ dad was a hero. Going all the way back as far as I can remember. Heroes. All great warriors who carried this sword," he said as he patted the sheathed blade strapped to his side. "Into battle."

Indeed it was all information that she already knew. Winter had made sure of that much. In her attempts to get the two heirs to play nice she had given Weiss a crash course on Arc family military history.

"And now there's me. Born into a family that's done so much throughout history. With so much expectation attached to the name. I mean, it's not every day that one of your ancestors gets his own statue in the courtyard of Beacon Academy. That means he would have had to have done something pretty great, right?"

The very same statue that Winter had told her to examine more closely at her next opportunity. She had done so. The inscription had given her a familiar name. Alastor Arc. A hero of the Great War. While Weiss had only a few scarce details about his actions during the war, Jaune was correct about one thing. He would have had to have been a very accomplished warrior to be given a statue at a huntsman academy.

"I'm not stupid," he continued. "I know that I'm not the greatest fighter in the school." He laughed once more. It was mocking and self-deprecating. "Who am I kidding? I'm awful. So bad that I'm getting special tutoring sessions after class. I'll never be as good as them. How can I ever live up to the kind of legacy that my name carries?" He shook his head slowly. "I just... I don't want to let them down. My team and my family. I'm doing everything I can, and it still doesn't seem like it's enough. It's like I don't belong. I'm not good enough. I'm going to let them all down. I'm not going to become what people expect me to be." He paused for a moment. "And that terrifies me. Is this what you wanted to hear, Weiss?"

Weiss hadn't realized she had been holding her breath until Jaune had said her name. He spoke of things like family. Like duty. Expectations... disapproval. The struggle of honoring a family legacy. And like Jaune, she also wanted to honor her family name. Just not in the same way. And she was afraid that she would not be able to do it. Not when her life was all but out of her own hands.

Hearing such a familiar story told by another person had caught her off guard. It had taken control away from her. Control that she had fought so hard to attain just a sliver of. She liked to be in control. Control of her words. Her actions. Her choices. Her life. For her entire existence control has been something that was forever out of reach. Until now.

"You always look noticeably uncomfortable whenever your family is mentioned," she said. "And this is why."

He nodded. "Yeah. See, you probably think it's stupid. You're Weiss Schnee. Heiress to a big company. A name known throughout Remnant. You're the perfect student and perfect huntress. You're already living up to your name. You're showing that you belong here. Your family is probably really proud of you."

Weiss frowned when he had uttered those words. Because they weren't true at all. He just didn't realize it. He didn't know the real her. The one underneath the mask. The sad girl behind blue eyes. The coward. The one who ran away from her problems rather than stand tall and fight them. The one that struggled to carve her own path in life away from Atlas, but who would instinctively fall back on her family name whenever things got tough. The one who so desperately wanted to be like her older sister, who had actually made a life of her own away from the Schnee name. The one who was using him to conquer her own personal issues. No, Weiss was not honoring her family name as he said she was. And her father certainly did not approve of her choices in life.

But she could not tell him that.

Unconsciously she brought a hand up to rub her neck as she responded to the statement. This time it was she who could not find it in her to meet his eyes. "Life is complicated," she said neutrally. "Not everything is how it seems. Or how it should be."

He laughed again. This time it sounded happier at least. And that was good. For his mindset, at least. "Life really is complicated," he said as he stretched out his arms, referencing the room around them. "We're a couple of teenagers with swords sitting here in a combat training room with a broken battle robot talking about my family issues. Not exactly where I expected I'd be at seventeen."

Her tone softened, sounding less authoritative than before. "And where did you expect to be?"

"I don't know. I never really knew what it took to be a huntsman before I came here. There's so much I didn't know about... everything. Things that you and Pyrrha have taught me." He shook his head once more. Seemingly in disbelief at what he was saying. "But you've both been there to help me. So, thank you. For teaching me. For everything."

If only he knew the real reason she was training him.

Weiss shook her head of the thought as she stood up once more before moving back out into the combat area of the sparring chamber. "Alright, Jaune. You need to move past these feelings of inadequacy you're having."

He followed after her to the center of the room. "And how do you think I should do that?"

She unsheathed Myrtenaster and held its tip out toward him in a fencing stance. "By getting better."

His eyes hardened as he once more drew Crocea Mors from its sheath. Weiss wondered if what had just taken place had been therapeutic for him.

"We're doing one on one sparring for the rest of our session. And we'll be doing a lot of it from now on."

"Okay?" he asked questioningly. "Are you sure I'm ready for singles combat with you?"

A ghost of a smile formed on her lips. Not because what he said was funny. But because she knew that there was no way he truly was ready. "Like I said earlier. You're either winning or you're learning. And that means you're about to do a whole lot of learning."

Jaune swallowed hard at the implications of what she had just said. He nodded hesitantly in acknowledgment.

"And from now on, just so we don't get a repeat of what took place yesterday, we will be having our sparring in the morning before class. Most people won't be awake then, much less willing to fight for an hour."

Jaune groaned loudly with the news. "But that means I'll have to be up at like six in the morning. What kind of torture is this?"

"Look do you want to get better or not?" She had slipped back into her usual icy tone.

It shut Jaune up. Either that, or that determination he had showed only moments ago surfaced again at the prospect of getting better. He silently nodded.

"Good," she said. "Now get your shield up. I want to see what you've learned today. So show me what you've got."

He did as he was told. Only seconds after he had deployed his shield Weiss propelled herself forward blade-first into her opponent.

* * *

Heavy eyelids slid open with a hint of pain. It was far too early to be awake. It was barely even light out. And on a Saturday! That made the crime even more unforgiveable. What was going on? And who was making so much noise?

Ruby slowly sat upright in bed. All around her was the semi-darkness of a room that was shielded from the dawn by the only window's heavy curtains. But still, her keen eyes could see across the room that both Yang and Blake were still lying asleep in their beds. That meant the noise could only be coming from a single source.

She gripped the side of her mattress and slowly started lowering her upside down head closer to its edge. Inch by inch her eyes crept closer to the space between her and Weiss' respective bunks until finally she saw her target. Weiss was sitting atop her own mattress, hunched over as she was tying the laces of her boots. The girl was already dressed in her usual combat attire. What was she doing? Why was she up so early?

Ruby's stealthy approach was ruined when Weiss rose back up to see the top half of her partner's head hanging from below the top bunk. The heiress recoiled in shock at the sudden appearance of the girl.

"Ruby!" she exclaimed, placing a hand over her heart as if to gauge her pulse. "What in the world are you doing?"

She could be asking the same question, truth be told. But she decided to answer Weiss' first. "I, um, woke up." She made sure not to include the cause. Saying that might put Weiss on the defensive. And she did not want to antagonize the girl anymore.

"It's very early. It's not like you to be awake at this hour."

So did Weiss do this on a regular basis? It seemed to be the only way for the girl to know Ruby's sleeping pattern. So many questions. And most of them Ruby felt hesitant to ask for fear of seeming too clingy. Too Rubyish.

"Yeah well... change is good sometimes!" she said. It was a poor comment and she knew it. But it was the best she could do in her zombified state of mind right now.

Weiss stood and went over to the girls full length mirror to examine herself. Even in the faint light of dawn the girl would be able to spot any imperfections and correct them. Weiss always seemed to be concerned with her appearance. Ruby did not know why. Weiss didn't need to try and impress her or any of their other teammates. All three of them accepted the girl for who she was despite how difficult she was at times. In fact it seemed as of late that Yang was getting along the best with her. Not that they were particularly friendly towards one another, but things that Yang did which would normally incur an annoyed glance or comment from the heiress now went without incident.

Once satisfied with what she saw, Weiss made her way over to the door. But before she could grab the handle Ruby decided to speak up once more.

"Where are you going?" It had been her first instinct to ask. Weiss was her partner after all. The two should be aware of the other's location. For team purposes. Sure, she would decide to go with that. But as Weiss opened her mouth to reply Ruby quickly cut her off. "Nevermind!" she backpedaled. "I don't care where you're going."

 _Yes!_

That would show her. While in the early morning haze of just waking up she had briefly forgotten her plan, Ruby was swift to correct herself. She would show Weiss just how un-Rubylike she could be. While she would normally pester Weiss about wanting to know what she was doing and where she was going, not to mention if she could tag along, Ruby decided that she would take Jaune up on his advice. And that meant showing Weiss just how much she didn't always need to be by her side.

The heiress' response was a look of puzzlement. Her hand which had been reaching out for the doorknob hung midair for a few seconds before dropping back to her side. "That's... good?" she said apprehensively.

The trace of a smug smile spread across Ruby's lips as she nodded her head. Not in agreement with what Weiss had said, but in approval of her plan in action.

"Well, I'm going to go now," Weiss continued as she pulled the door open.

"Good," Ruby said. "You go do whatever you're doing. You won't see me trying to stop you."

She was smiling inwardly far more than her face was showing. _Ruby, you are just too smooth._

A frown crossed Weiss' face as she once more looked back at Ruby. Her hand still rested on the knob of the now open door. But she still had not left yet. Whatever was going on in the white-haired girl's mind was a mystery, but one thing that was certain was that she was not yelling angrily or speaking condescendingly at her younger partner. And that was most certainly a plus.

A short exhale came from Weiss' nostrils. "Okay, Ruby. What is going on?"

Uh oh. Busted. _Play it cool,_ she told herself. _Just keep doing what you're doing. Do. Not. Break._

"Nothing's going on," she said with just a little too much forced casualness. "Why would something be going on? Why do you care? It's not like I care about what _you're_ doing right now. Nothing's going on. I'm going back to sleep."

Without another word Ruby flipped over on her side with her back facing towards Weiss. Pulling the covers right up to her chin, she laid still pretending that she had quickly fallen asleep. But her eyes remained open, staring at the wall as she wondered how Weiss would react to what she had said.

She could not see her partner's reaction, but Weiss was verbally expressive when it came to her emotions. It was regular for a sigh or a growl to accompany her physical reactions to irritants. And those irritants happened to include Ruby on a regular basis since the two had met.

And right on cue Weiss let out a strained sigh. Had Ruby not been trying to contain her Rubyness right now she would have squealed with delight in knowing her partner so well. But she had to hold firm. She had to stick to the plan. But since Weiss couldn't see the toothy, closed-eyed grin that was plastered on her face right now she supposed that was an acceptable expression to have.

"You are..." Weiss said as Ruby held her breath. Here it was. The impending insult. The latest barb that would be thrown her way. The result of her failed attempt at winning Weiss' friendship through passiveness. "The strangest girl I've ever met," the heiress finished.

Strangest girl? While not a compliment it wasn't exactly an insult either. Far from it in fact, now that she thought about it. Strange was different from normal. Strange was unique. And unique was good! Therefore... strange was good! In Ruby's mind that counted as a compliment after all. Or at least it was the closest thing to a compliment she had ever received from her partner. And that was an improvement from everything else that had occurred in the past month of attending Beacon Academy.

Ruby's fists clenched the sheets as she struggled to restrain another squeal. She wanted so badly right now to leap out of bed and shout in joy right now. But she didn't. Because she was Ruby Rose, master manipulator.

Another sigh was heard from the lips of the heiress. "Ruby, I'll be back in an hour," she said before a brief pause. "Do you still have that imported coffee from Mistral?"

She did. Although the pastries had been devoured shortly after her plan to win Weiss' friendship had failed, the coffee remained untouched. Blake's masterful idea of attempting to win Dr. Oobleck over with the coffee had never been put into effect. And now it simply rested in a box in the bottom drawer of her dresser.

"Yeah," Ruby replied, not turning to look at the other girl.

Long seconds passed before Weiss spoke again. "Can you make some? I would like to try it when I get back."

Without waiting for a response Ruby heard the girl step outside and close the door behind her.

What had just happened? Ruby flipped back over onto her other side to confirm that Weiss had indeed left. Why did she bring up the coffee after so many weeks? What did she mean she wanted to try it? Unless...

An audible gasp finally slipped through Ruby's lips as she realized what it meant. It was followed by a tiny squeak before she covered her mouth with her hands. Had it worked? It worked, didn't it? It had to have worked!

 _Jaune, you are a genius!_

She made a mental note that she was going to give Jaune the biggest and most bone-crushing hug she had ever given anyone the next time they saw each other. She didn't know how. She didn't know why. But aggressively ignoring Weiss had made the girl want to have coffee with her. That had to be it. It was the only explanation she could come up with.

The silence was broken once more by the faint chuckle of Yang from the other side of the room.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** I think that Ruby is quickly becoming my favorite character to write for. While I really enjoy the friendship potential between her and Jaune, I wouldn't mind shipping the two together in a future story I have in mind. But that'll be a while since after this is done I have yet another story I want to write. So many ideas, so little time. Oh well.

Thanks for reading. I hope you enjoyed it.


	10. Chapter 10

**Author's Note:** I know I usually post on Saturdays, and this chapter was done on Saturday. I just hadn't proof read it yet. So I didn't want to post something I hadn't gone through looking for mistakes. But knowing me there are probably still a few typos. Anyway, better late than never, right?

* * *

Jaune's chest heaved as he slowed his pace to a walk. It had taken everything he had to get through this day's training regimen. Despite having been at it for weeks, and despite the fact that he was showing improvement, it was still an arduous task. And Weiss was ever the slave driver. She demanded nothing less than perfection from him. It was not hard to understand why. Every move she made seemed to be flawless. Every strike had a purpose. Every word she said had meaning behind it. And she expected the same from her student.

That was why Jaune was where he was now. He wanted to have skills like her. To have the strength and confidence necessary to become the man that he was born to be. He was trying as hard as he could and the results could both be seen and felt. His evening jog had taken every ounce of strength that remained out of him. A slick sheet of sweat coated his back. He could feel that the entire backside of his shirt had soaked what his skin could not carry, making the garment heavy as a result. Even as he now walked he could feel the back of his shirt swishing and bouncing up and down with each step as a result of being so much heavier than usual.

Reaching around with a hand he ran it across his back and was met with an accumulation of warm sweat. It trickled down his fingers like morning dew on grass before dripping onto the sidewalk below. Seeing such a tangible result with his own eyes gave him a sense of satisfaction. By this sight alone he knew that he had done well with today's training. If he wasn't near the edge of death then it as obvious that he wasn't pushing himself hard enough. At least that was how he felt.

Morning combat training with Weiss. A day of classes. Evening jog. Tomorrow the jog would be substituted with weight lifting. Repeat. Day after day. Week after week. And still many weeks, if not months to come. But right now all he could think about was the warm water of a shower and the fresh, cleansing scent of soap and shampoo. Aside from just how good it would feel, Jaune was in dire need of a shower too. He lifted the neckband of his shirt over his face and took a whiff of what lay underneath. The repulsive stench of what smelled like a man who had not showered in a few weeks greeted his nostrils, causing him to scrunch up his nose in disgust. He could almost imagine what Weiss would say right now if she both saw and smelled him in such a condition.

 _Look, I know you may dress both yourself and your hair like a hobo, but do you really have to smell like one too? I refuse to train someone who does not even have enough respect for himself to even groom properly!_

He flashed a toothy grin as he shook his head slightly. Yes, that was exactly what she would say. He had spent enough time with her over the past few weeks to get an accurate assessment of her personality. And in doing so he could almost predict how she would react in certain situations and respond in certain conversations. This made antagonizing her all the easier. And more fun.

But an answer which continued to elude him was why exactly she stuck around him if she claimed he was such an annoyance. Weiss was never short of a barbed comment about his intelligence or a brutally honest judgment about his image. And yet despite it all she continued to show up every day for training. She continued to prod him for information about his family. It was almost as if she was trying to get to know him better in her own cold and distant way. And this made sense if his theory about her wanting to be his friend was correct. Because for someone like her to actually admit to wanting to be someone's friend, and in his case, admitting to being wrong about her first impression, was not something he would expect her to do.

But none of that mattered now. All that Jaune cared about was getting back to his team's dorm room, throwing his sweat-soaked workout clothes into a pile on the floor, and stepping into the shower.

As he threw open the door and stepped into his room he was greeted by the sight of his partner Pyrrha. Sitting on her bed with an open book in her lap, her head moved up at the sight of his entrance into the room.

"Oh, hey, Pyrrha," he greeted.

She nodded at him. "Hello, Jaune."

Pyrrha was his partner. But they were not exactly what one would call close. Not how Nora and Ren were even if you were to take out the fact that they were longtime best friends. Jaune and Pyrrha got along well enough, but their conversations tended to be civil yet empty. They never really attempted to open up to one another or get to know the other better. She always seemed guarded and reserved. And Jaune never felt comfortable enough to attempt to try and break those walls of hers down. Not after finding out who she was.

A tournament champion. A cereal box celebrity. He had seen her picture more times than he could remember. The problem was that up until she had reminded him that that was her he actually didn't remember. It had been a huge eye opener about just how unperceptive he was. But he was working to change that. Jaune was now trying to pay attention to the small details in life. He knew that being a huntsman was more than just fighting. One needed to be smart. Observant. They needed to be able to make predictions and think outside the box. Up until a few weeks earlier the only thing that had been outside of the box for him had been the notion that he could attend Beacon with absolutely zero qualifications to do so.

During initiation Pyrrha had helped him out of what he could only assume was the goodness of her heart. She had apparently seen him flailing through the air after his sudden launch from the cliffs and secured him to a tree using her weapon. It was a testament to her strength and skill that she had been so precise. Had she not he could have been impaled on the spear due to not having his Aura yet unlocked. That had been her next charitable act toward him. Unlocking his Aura and explaining just what it was had been a major step forward in his quest to become a huntsman.

Her generosity was just one more reason that he felt bad about being her partner. It was obvious that she was too good for him in a number of ways. Her fighting record. Her skill. Her beauty. Her charity. And she was stuck with him? He knew that he could never elevate her to greater levels with his abilities. Only drag her down. But he was doing his best to improve on that. And in his opinion he already had improved a great deal over the past several weeks. Weiss was making sure of that. It seemed that her strategy ensured that he would either improve or die painfully.

His current exhaustion made it seem like he was on the verge of said painful death. Jaune looked toward the bathroom door before returning his attention to Pyrrha. "So, what are you reading?"

She looked back up to him. "Just the reading assignment for Dr. Oobleck's class."

He nodded. As studious as ever. Add that to the list of reasons she was too good for him.

Standing with his hands halfway into the pockets of his running shorts, Jaune bit down into his lower lip anxiously. He hated awkward silence. He didn't really know what to say anymore at this point. But as the leader of Team JNPR he knew he had to do something. Pyrrha was a nice girl. Surely she would be more than happy to talk if he continued the conversation.

That was it! A brilliant idea. Talk to her about things under the pretense of wanting to know as team leader. Because while it was true that he did want to be closer to his partner just as Ruby wanted to with Weiss, he just didn't quite know how to do it naturally. Not when it came to someone like him with someone like her. An already renowned warrior with a total fraud.

He rubbed the back of his neck as he glanced to the floor before looking back up to her. "Reading. Yes, reading is good," he said awkwardly. "Representing Team JNPR well in the grades department I assume?"

Pyrrha's brow furrowed slightly before the tiny hint of a smirk formed on her lips. "Of course," she said. "I believe I am ranked near the top of our class in all of our courses."

Jaune delivered a tiny fist pump at the news. A second later he regretted it as what was probably one of the cheesiest actions he had done in the past... two weeks or so. "Just what I wanted to hear," he said with what was supposed to be encouragement. What he followed up with was far worse. "Go Team JNPR!"

This was way harder than it was supposed to be. Smalltalk was the absolute worst. And that was coming from someone who liked to talk and who made a fool of himself with regularity.

Pyrrha's eyebrows raised as she nodded her head slowly in what he assumed was agreement. Was she actually doing that thing which one was supposed to do when they encountered a crazy person? The whole smile and nod routine? And she was doing it to him? This was going terribly.

In his mind klaxons rang loudly and he could picture red warning lights flashing inside his skull. _Abort mission, Jaune! Abort!_

"Well..." he began as he looked longingly toward the bathroom door. "I should probably go take a shower. I stink after a long run," he said as he lifted up an arm to smell his armpit for emphasis. A second later his eyes squeezed shut with more regret. That had certainly not helped his image of being a weirdo.

He was just about to step into the bathroom for his much-needed shower when Pyrrha spoke once more. "You have been out a lot lately, even when there are no classes," she told him. "May I ask what you've been up to?"

Jaune paused in mid-step to turn back towards her. For the first time in the conversation she had set the book aside and had her attention fully focused on him. That was progress, right? Was that even possible in such a short timeframe? Either way he was not about to ignore an opportunity to speak with his partner about something that was not required of them as partners and teammates.

"Oh, well, I've just been doing some extra training," he told her. "I really wanna get better."

She nodded once more. This time the action looked approvingly of him rather than all but saying that she didn't want to be speaking to a crazy person.

"That's good. It's important to want to improve one's self. Especially in our line of work."

That was true without a doubt. Because as much as Jaune wanted to do this for both himself and his family, he knew that at the end of the day it was the people of Remnant that he was doing this for. He wouldn't return home to stay there and defend his family from the creatures of Grimm. He would be travelling the four kingdoms helping where he was needed.

"Yeah," he agreed. "I think I've made a lot of progress since I've started. Weiss is a great teacher."

Pyrrha gave him a curious look. "Weiss Schnee? From Team RWBY?"

It hit Jaune that he had never actually told Pyrrha about his training, much less the details of it. Not as if was some huge secret that he was keeping from her or anyone else. It had just never come up before. With how little they spoke of their personal lives and extracurricular activities when they were working as a team it made sense. Pyrrha, much like Jaune himself, did not like to talk about things like her past and her family. Or the fact that she had won the Mistral Regional Tournament four times in a row. That, and the fact that Nora usually dominated any conversations which the team did have.

"Yup, that's her," he confirmed.

"Hmm," she hummed softly. "She did seem very driven the first time I met her."

"Driven," Jaune laughed. "Yeah, that's one way to put it."

"What do you mean?"

Pyrrha had not been through all that he had been with Weiss. So of course she did not know the heiress outside of the classroom. And while a reputation could say a lot about a person it lacked the whole story. Most of the time the true story as well. Jaune could imagine that Pyrrha's perception of the white-haired girl was one of a studious, disciplined and as she had said, driven person. But she was also a girl who was ice cold. She had a wall around herself, much as Pyrrha did. As he considered that point he realized that the two girls probably had more in common than either realized. They both came from fame, were exceptionally skilled in their craft, and were not very open when it came to their personal lives.

"She's..." he began as he searched for the right words. "A little bit blunt. She doesn't hold back how she feels about you."

While it was true that Weiss was a stoic professional when it came to matters of combat, she did not go easy on you when it came to her barbed tongue. He had been on the receiving end of that on numerous occasions.

"I see."

A hand drifted up to the back of his neck and he began rubbing it without even realizing it. "But yeah, this is all pretty basic stuff. Nothing too impressive." He chuckled lightly. "Way below your skill level."

For a moment Jaune thought he saw a frown cross Pyrrha's lips. If there had been one it vanished almost instantaneously. "There's... nothing wrong with practicing the basics."

There it was again. That cautious way that she often spoke. Almost as if she was carefully choosing her words. Or stalling for time to think of what to say. It was something that Jaune had noticed about her from the beginning. Pyrrha spoke very deliberately. Unlike him who usually transferred his words directly from his mind to his tongue with absolutely no filter. Or no thought of any consequences they might bring.

He laughed again. "I guess. But it's just funny though. I doubt you even remember being _that_ weak to be practicing the basics. You could probably take on a Deathstalker single-handedly."

Jaune was pleased that he was actually having an opportunity to speak to Pyrrha so candidly. He rarely did. But he also did not want to stink up their room. Another sniff of his sweat-soaked clothes told him he was in danger of doing so.

"I should really get going," he said as he motioned to the bathroom. "I need a shower. Kind of sweaty and stuff."

"Sounds like a plan," Pyrrha said politely.

Jaune stepped into the bathroom before closing the door behind him. He took a deep breath. There. That hadn't been so bad after all. Other than the horrifically awkward and embarrassing parts. He had spoken to Pyrrha about things that didn't immediately concern their team. And it had turned out okay! She wasn't just a professional fighter who was too good for him. She was another student. Right? Well, another student who could probably kill him in a hundred different ways. But that was beside the point. She could indeed be spoken to just like Ruby or Nora. Or even Blake that one time. That reminded him.

Books.

He needed a book. And he had a certain one in mind.

As the warm water hit his back he realized that what was normally the perfect temperature was now too hot for him. His body was so heated that the only thing that felt normal now was to turn the water knob to almost the coldest temperature. On any other day his body would have cringed and twisted at the cold water raining down on him. But as the sweat washed away and his skin began to cool it just felt so good. He wanted to stay there for hours just standing there and enjoying the experience. Sadly he knew that he could not.

After his shower he would head over to Beacon's library. He had been doing a little bit of combat studying on his own. It was nothing too impressive so far, but now that he was receiving personal tutoring from Weiss there was one book he was eager to find. He wondered if Beacon would even have it. He wondered how many things might change if it did.

* * *

The serenity of being alone was bliss.

Weiss found herself alone in her team's room for the first time in what felt like weeks. Blake was off doing whatever she did on her own. Probably something productive. That was just one more reason she liked the girl. Not only was Blake a quiet and respectful young woman, but she always seemed to be striving to better herself. Either through studying or reading for its own sake. Weiss could respect someone like that.

Meanwhile Yang and Ruby were out presumably having their usual childish fun around the campus. Probably hanging around with Nora and Ren. Maybe Jaune too. Training was done for the day and he was now free to do whatever he wanted with his time. So if he wanted to spend it with both his and her teammates she could say nothing about it. It was out of her control.

Control. How she loved to be in control. It was enough that she was finally getting a taste of it over her own life. But it had come as a very unexpected twist that she now had so much control over someone else. Teaching Jaune as she was gave her a sense of it that she had never before experienced. Despite him being there with her willingly he regularly submitted to her every whim. Because he wanted to get better. Because he was driven to succeed. Just as she was.

Weiss had an opportunity to change Jaune for the better. She remembered her sister's words well. Try to befriend the heir to the Arc family. It would be beneficial for all parties involved. So how many different motivations did she have now for training him now? Three? It had all become such a mess. It had started as something so simple. Train Jaune so that she could rub it in Cardin's face. But then it had gotten personal. She had learned of his life. Winter had learned who he was. And now it was anything but simple. Because to fail would bring about more than just her own personal humiliation. It would bring Winter's disappointment. And it would crush a young man's own dreams.

Control. This is what control brought. Responsibility. The fear of failure. The consequences that such failure brought with it. It was so much easier to imagine the simple two syllable word as an idea. To look down from her ivory tower and exert control over those who were beneath her. But the idea of control and the practice were two entirely different things. Because if things wound up getting too complicated then she would no longer be the one with the power. She would be controlled instead. Controlled by expectations. By fear. By her own emotions. And she hated all of those things.

She took a deep breath as she lay back on her bed staring up at the mattress above her. That mattress hung haphazardly by just a few strands of rope. It hung tilted at a downward angle. The fact that it did aggravated her more than she would ever admit to anyone else. It had been trouble enough to have the painting which she hung on the wall perfectly centered and straightened. This bed was an abomination. And she would have either fixed it or purged it if she had it her way. How did Ruby sleep on that thing? How could she have the strength and energy to do what she did on a daily basis when her only sleep came from that bed?

That girl was without a doubt the strangest person she had ever met. Thinking back to the other day with Ruby, it had not been terribly uncomfortable. Not nearly as bad as she had feared when she brought up the idea of sharing the coffee that the girl had mentioned all those weeks ago. It was delicious. She still remembered how Ruby had tried so hard in her own awkward and "adorable" way, as Yang had once put it, to try and express her disinterest for spending time with her.

The passive aggressiveness had been through the roof. If Ruby actually believed that no one saw through her act then she was far more naive than even Weiss believed her to be. But in the end she had given her partner a chance. Because she knew that she had to. For the sake of the team. And because of the talk that she and Yang had shared all of those weeks ago. Weiss had still not forgotten it.

Yang was a good older sister. Always looking out for Ruby. And that made Weiss wonder about how her own life might have been had things been different. What if she had not been born a Schnee? What if she had had the freedom to do what she had wanted with her life from birth? Would she have turned out like Ruby? And would Winter have turned out like Yang? Because even now despite their different backgrounds and lifestyles she saw so much of Winter in Yang. Protective. Loving. Maybe Winter didn't show it quite how Yang did. Yang wore her heart on her sleeve where Winter kept everything inside. But actions spoke louder than words. And Winter was a woman of action.

Annoyingly, as if on cue, Weiss heard loud voices growing nearer from outside of her door. In a matter of seconds the door opened and the two sisters burst into the room.

But before Ruby could take more than a couple of steps inside her eyes widened with a gasp. "I left my board game in the library!"

Without another word she dashed back out with enough speed that one would think she had activated her Semblance. But there were no red streaks that Weiss could see, and in a second she was out of sight. But not out of mind, as Weiss heard the loud and incoherent babbling that got softer the further Ruby got down the hall.

Yang smiled as she shut the door before moving over to her side of the room and flopping down on Blake's bed. For long moments she lay there with her face buried in the pillow.

Weiss' head was turned looking at her curiously. She didn't know what to expect. Was she actually attempting to sleep? She was still wearing that brown... whatever fashion disaster that she liked to wear so often. And she hadn't even taken off her boots either. For what seemed like a few minutes Yang lay still. There was no snoring, so that was a telltale sign that the girl had indeed not fallen asleep. Then suddenly without warning the blonde's head emerged from the pillow and turned to rest on its side, looking over at Weiss.

"Yo," she said simply.

Weiss raised an eyebrow as she continued to stare at the strange girl across the room. It would seem that strangeness ran in the family. "Hello," she returned.

"So... been here all by yourself?"

Weiss sat up in a more dignified position to have a conversation in. "I have," She said with a nod of confirmation. "It's been nice."

"Mmhmm," the blonde said with a smirk.

Silence hung in the air for a few seconds as the two stared at one another. Both stares were unwavering. Neither girl was one to back down from a challenge. Finally it was Weiss who broke the calm.

"What?" she asked.

"You don't get to play the Ice Queen game anymore, Weiss Cream."

Weiss frowned at the nickname. "What are you talking about?"

Yang rolled over on her back and stared at her own bed which was precariously balanced on stacks of books. It was a miracle that Blake had not been crushed yet. In fact it was a miracle that Weiss herself had not been crushed yet by Ruby's own suspended bed.

"Don't play dumb with me. You've turned into quite the little social butterfly as of late. You don't get to pretend to hate everyone around you anymore."

Weiss scoffed. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"You've been spending a lot of time away from the team lately," Yang explained. "Has it been with a boy?" she asked coyly.

"Yes, with Jaune. _Training._ You know this. I've made no secret about it."

Yang gasped exaggeratedly as she briefly covered her mouth with a hand. "So the boy has a name now? This must be serious."

She felt her teeth grinding in frustration. This was asinine. And surely Yang had to know so as well. "You know who Jaune is. You knew it was him without me having to tell you."

"So you admit it," she continued teasingly. "Anything going on between the two of you?" she asked with a suggestive wiggle of her eyebrows.

If Weiss had a mirror in front of her she could only imagine that the reaction she gave would have been a look of utter revulsion. "It's nothing like that. Get your own love life if you're so desperate for this kind of nonsense."

"...So you admit that you do have a love life?"

A soft, guttural growl slipped from Weiss' throat. She had received enough teasing from Winter. She did not need any more.

"You are utterly unbearable."

"What's unbearable is the fact that you can't admit your own feelings to yourself," Yang said with false sorrow.

"There are no feelings," Weiss said sternly. "But that reminds me. You've been spending a lot of time with Blake recently." Her eyes narrowed as her voice got lower. "Careful, this is how rumors get started."

"Well of course. Blake is my partner."

"Aw, so you two are an official item?" Weiss cooed. It felt good to be giving the blonde a taste of her own medicine. "It's very brave to be so open about your relationship with your _partner_ like that, Yang."

All traces of humor were gone from Yang's face as she looked at the girl who only seconds earlier had been on the receiving end of the joke. If her expression was anything to go by she was clearly taken aback by how the tables had been turned.

But that awkwardness was shattered quickly as Yang began to laugh. Weiss looked curiously to the girl who now had a huge smile on her face.

"See, what'd I tell you?" Yang asked. "You even have jokes now."

Weiss rolled her eyes. "Whatever."

"Spending time with vomit boy, cracking jokes with your buddy Yang," she said annoyingly in the third person. "And even offering to have coffee with Ruby. You've really grown a lot since you first got here."

Had she? It did not seem like it. It had been nearly two months since she had first arrived at Beacon. And while she felt as she was the same person she had always been, did her actions of late truly speak louder than any words of protest ever could?

Maybe. If she in fact had then she could pinpoint the reasons to a handful of conversations.

"It's your fault," Weiss told her grudgingly.

Yang sat upright now as well. Perhaps a sign that she was taking the impending conversation more seriously. That was a rarity. So what was going on between the two of them right now must have seemed important to the blonde.

"Do tell," she said with a smirk. "I enjoy when people sing my praises. And you were a singer, were you not?"

She had been. But she had not performed since before she had come to Beacon. Her last concert was in Atlas. A farewell concert of sorts when she had decided that she would be attending school in Vale rather than Atlas.

"I was," she confirmed.

"So, sing for me, Weiss. Tell me how awesome I am."

Another growl escaped her throat. "Did I mention you were unbearable?"

Yang shrugged. "I like to think of it as endearing."

"Yeah well go endear yourself to your sister."

That stupid smug smile again. "Seems like you already have."

Weiss remembered that Yang had been asleep in the room when Weiss had made the offer to share coffee with Ruby. So either Ruby had blabbed about it to her or Yang had actually been awake during the brief conversation. Either case was possible. Because she wouldn't put it past Ruby to gush excitedly about it. But Yang had pretended to be asleep before as well when the two had had their original coffee conversation.

"I've just... I've just had some time to think about things. Okay?"

"Things like how awesome my little sister is?"

Weiss frowned. "Friends."

Yang gave her a quizzical look. "What?"

Weiss understood the other girl's confusion. To her the conversation that had taken place many weeks ago was just another conversation. But to Weiss it was something she had thought about for some time now. For Yang to have remembered some random comment from all that time ago which was not discussed any further would have been quite an achievement.

"Back when we talked before," Weiss explained, knowing that Yang would get what she was referring to. "I told you I didn't have any friends. You wanted to know why."

The blonde nodded in understanding. The memory seemed to return to her and she remained silent waiting for Weiss to continue.

"My life hasn't been the easiest. I've lost a lot of people I cared about. I've lost friends."

Yang said nothing, but the grim expression on her face told her that she was taking this seriously.

Weiss exhaled, wondering why she was even going this far. "The point is, I didn't want any friends. Because opening up to other people would just get you hurt. I learned that the hard way over and over again. For a lot of different reasons."

"And you thought that Ruby might have been another person to hurt you?" Yang asked.

Weiss snorted a soft laugh. "No, not at all. If anything she's like a lost puppy who would never betray me. Just so clingy and annoying."

The lilac eyes of Yang narrowed on her and for a moment Weiss feared that they would go red with rage. "Would you care to rephrase your opinion on my little sister?" Her tone had become slow and deliberate. Much like Professor Goodwitch's when she was in a foul mood.

"Look," Weiss said before pausing to choose her words more carefully this time. "The point is that... well, your relationship with Ruby. It reminded me a lot of my own big sister. And how she would do anything... and had done anything in the past, to protect me. To make sure that I was happy. Safe. Loved. Even when no one else in my life would." She stopped again as she took a deep breath. "So I figured... maybe Ruby and I had something in common like that. Maybe I could give her a chance."

The explanation seemed to calm the fiery teen down. Her posture looked more relaxed after Weiss had finished speaking. Maybe it was because Yang understood what she was saying. Or maybe it was just the shock of Weiss admitting to anything so personal at all. In any case Weiss was not prepared for what she asked next.

"So are you two friends now?"

Were they? They were teammates. Partners. They shared a room. They slept in bunk beds. They had even had coffee together the other day. Those were things that friends did, right? Certainly it's what siblings did. It's what Ruby and Yang were doing right now. It's what Weiss had wanted to do with Winter when they had been children. But her dream of having bunk beds with Winter had never come true.

Weiss decided to answer the question honestly. "I don't know."

"I know Ruby is still on board with the idea. Maybe you could spend some more time alone with her. What do you have to lose?"

She remembered back to the first time she had met Ruby. "I don't know. My health? My life?" She continued to think of all the things they had been through in their short time together. "My patience? My sanity? I have a lot of things to lose, Yang."

Yang smiled and shook her head at the miniature rant. "And what about everything you'll gain?"

"And what's that?"

The blonde's smile widened as she thought for a moment, looking out the window of their room. Then she started reciting a list. "A best friend. A confidant. Someone who is loyal and who will never betray you. Someone who would go to the ends of Remnant for you. A partner who you could count on to always be there for you, no matter what." She paused again before looking Weiss straight in the eyes. "The best little sister a girl could ever wish for. Even if she wouldn't be related to you by blood."

It certainly was a compelling case. Deep down Weiss knew that every word which Yang just spoke about Ruby was true. She may have been an annoyance at times. Innocent. Naive. Child-like. But it was also true that she had a heart of gold. And that even with the current relationship, or lack thereof that she shared with Weiss, that she would still do anything for her partner at the drop of a hat.

Weiss smiled this time as she returned Yang's eye contact with a hard stare of her own. "You're lucky you specifically said little sister. Otherwise we would have had serious problems."

"What, you mean about your own big sister?" Yang asked. She waved the idea off dismissively. "Come on. We all know that I'm the best big sister around here."

Weiss stood up at once. "You mean here at Beacon, right?"

A lazy shrug of Yang's shoulders showed how little she had been affected by Weiss' display. "Here, Vale..." Another pause before she smiled again. "Atlas. Everywhere, really."

Yang was rewarded for her words with a pillow thrown directly into her face. When it fell there was a scowl where it had hit. "That wasn't very nice, Schnee."

The blonde grabbed the soft projectile and threw it with all of her might. When it connected squarely with Weiss' chest she was sent stumbling backward onto her own bed where she fell atop it on her backside. Just when she was about to return the favor the door opened.

"I'm back, guys!" Ruby said cheerfully as she entered. Upon doing so she saw the expressions on her teammates faces and could feel the palpable tension in the air. "Guys? What's going on? Are you two in a the middle of a fight?" Her eyes widened with sudden horror. "Please don't fight!"

Weiss rolled her eyes as she gripped the pillow tightly. "Oh be quiet, Ruby," she said before smacking the youngest member of the team in the face with it."

The box with the board game which Ruby had been carrying fell to the floor in surprise. She looked to Yang in shock, then to Weiss, then back to Yang. Her mind processed what had just happened and the reality of what must have really been going on. A devious smirk crossed her lips.

"You two are going down," the red-cloaked girl hissed.

With a burst of Semblance-powered super speed Ruby dashed atop her bunk and grabbed her own pillow before propelling herself off of the bunk with a kick of her legs and straight into the waiting form of her sister.

By the time the fourth and final member of the team had returned from her solitary studies the other three girls were exhausted and laughing as they chatted. Blake did not even ask about the fact that there were shreds of white fabric and piles of pillow stuffing and feathers covering the floor.

* * *

Jaune was never a fan of going out right after taking a shower. His body and hair still felt damp despite his best efforts. It made the air feel much colder than it actually was. Luckily it wasn't close to being winter yet, and thus he did not have to suffer any further than he already was. Running a hair through scraggly blonde hair, he pressed through the doors to the library of Beacon Academy.

The same sights and smells assaulted him as they had the previous time he had been here. But he was once more driven with purpose. And this time he would not be so distracted by the sight of a diminutive white-haired girl challenging him to what at the time he thought was a duel.

Because this time she was the reason he was here. While it was true that he had come here before seeking to improve himself this, in this instance he was here on her recommendation. From a certain point of view, that was. No, she had not told him to come here. And she had not told him of a book to check out. But the only reason it was even on his mind was because of Weiss. Because like it or not she was making an impact on him. A positive one at that. And he never would have thought that possible in the days that came after meeting her for the first time.

From the corner of his eye he saw a blur of black and red speeding through the building, much to the chagrin of the librarian who sat behind her large desk. Judging by the colors, quickness and utter cluelessness of her actions Jaune could only guess that it was Ruby. But before he could even contemplate going over to say hello she had dashed through the front doors and out of the building. Jaune shrugged his shoulders. There would always be another time. And she was clearly in a hurry for whatever reason. He wasn't about to stop her.

As he made his way over to the fighting and combat section he had browsed before, he wondered to himself what letter the book would be categorized under if the place even did have it. Would it be an A or a T? His initial guess would be the former, as books would rarely if ever include the word "the" when being sorted. Otherwise that would lead to a mess of titles beginning with the extremely common word. So A it was.

He moved over to that section and began browsing. A number of unusual titles stood out almost immediately. Aerial Assaults and You: Ruling the Skies. How would that even work for a huntsman? Archery: The Lost Art of Bowmanship. That would have been useful had he used a bow. Or if he knew anyone who did. Sadly he did not. Maybe the title was on to something...

Finally he found it. His heart nearly skipped a beat as he saw the first word in the title. Atlesian. The book had a thick black spine with silver writing on it spelling out the whole title along with the author's name. He wondered how it was that one man was able to take credit for writing this. Maybe he was just someone who compiled the work and put it into this particular printed form?

Jaune shook his head clear of the thought. That was not the point of finding the book.

Grabbing it and pulling it from the shelf he gave the front cover a look. The Atlesian School of Fencing. Weiss had spoken enough about the combat style that he could never forget its name. And based on the fact that it seemed to be working Jaune wanted to put all of his effort into learning it. The other books he had intended to check out, subsequently forgotten about, and then followed up on actually obtaining them later would have to wait. This right here would be the focus of his efforts.

Opening it up and flipping through the pages he saw that there was a lot of text. A _lot_ of text. But luckily for him there were also s good amount of diagrams. They all looked very primitive sketches drawn with black ink on simple white paper. And the people in them looked as if they were dressed in attire from hundreds of years ago. They certainly did not carry any kind of advanced hybrid weaponry as hunters did today. No, these men and women were armed with swords, staffs, daggers and other purely melee weapons.

With a smile of satisfaction forming on his face Jaune went up to the desk and officially made the book his for two weeks. And he already planned on checking it out again once those two weeks were up. Because he had a mission in mind now. He was going to impress Weiss beyond her wildest expectations. He was determined to learn the principles of combat inside and out. He already had a basic idea of where he should start reading in the book based on what he had already been taught. Whenever she tried to surprise him with something new he would be one step ahead of her. And the expressions on her face would be glorious. He could already imagine her indignation at him telling her the material she had intended to teach him.

Oh yes. It would be an absolutely hilarious experience. And now he had a new reason to look forward to the daily lessons. Not only to improve himself. Not only to improve his team. But to find new ways to utterly infuriate her and force her to act like someone her age. To make her act human. To make her act like a friend.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Nothing much to say here. Hopefully you enjoyed the chapter. I know it wasn't too exciting or action packed, but it was more intended to explore relationships between characters than anything else. I hope I was able to achieve those things. Let me know how it turned out.

Thanks for reading.


	11. Chapter 11

**Author's Note:** So volume 4 came out this past Saturday. Seeing how that's going to be a weekly thing now, how does me updating on Tuesdays sound to everyone? I've done that before in the past and it seemed to have worked. So yeah. That's my plan. Which is one reason this week's chapter is late. Totally not because it wasn't done on Saturday. And not because I've been watching a ton of the MLB playoffs the past few weeks and haven't been writing when I would have liked to. No. Totally not that.

Thanks again to everyone for reading and reviewing this story. Over 400 follows now! I can't express enough how much I appreciate all of you and your support. Anyway, onto the story.

* * *

 _Dear Weiss,_

 _Please accept my sincerest apologies for not writing back to you sooner. These are troubling times we live in, and it is the duty of soldiers such as myself to hunt down those who wish to bring chaos and terror to the world. Such attacks have been increasing in frequency over the past several months. The culprits in question are targeting far more valuable cargo than our family's dust as of late. And while the details of these attacks are classified, I wish to inform you to stay vigilant even while you enjoy the safety of Vale's walls._

 _Concerning what you wrote to me in your previous letter, I understand your feelings about our father. And I can certainly understand how these emotions you felt were able to get the better of you for a short period of time. However you must bear in mind that it is not always the words that we say or the actions we take that are most telling of our character. The intentions behind words and actions are sometimes just as important, if not more so than what is said or done to us. I say this because while it is true that father is at times an overbearing tyrant, he does what he does out of love._

 _I, like you, was once reckless and impulsive. It is the reason I joined the Atlesian military in the first place. And like you attending Beacon Academy rather than Atlas, I enlisted in order to escape what I thought at the time was an oppressive and controlling household. Over time I have found that my feelings for father have not changed. He is who he is, and I could not tolerate living under the same roof as him. I am happy with the decision I made. I am happy that I am no longer his to command. But with time and distance I have gained a new perspective as well. He is only so controlling because he loves us dearly and does not wish to see us harmed by our many enemies. I hope that in time you will discover this for yourself as well._

 _You must always remember that while emotion may grant you both physical and mental strength, it may also cloud your judgment. I believe you have witnessed the consequences of this first hand by allowing yourself to be bogged down in this frivolous competition with your classmate. While you may see this boy as a proxy for our father, you will not defeat your true enemy even if everything does go according to your plan. All you will be left with is a false sense of satisfaction at your defeated peer and a used pawn by your side. Is that truly what you want?_

 _Finally, in the little free time I have enjoyed as of late I looked into your request concerning the Arc family heir. What I found, or rather what I did not find, was most telling. Students are required to pass an extensive entrance examination in order to attend Beacon Academy, as you experienced firsthand. To prepare for this students normally study for years at the many combat schools scattered around the world. When I had the many assets and contacts I enjoy with my position in the Atlesian military look into Jaune Arc's records, they found no information pertaining to these schools._

 _Take this information as you will. It is entirely possible, and not unheard of, that he was accepted into your school based on the merits of his name alone. Or perhaps he studied privately, which is also not uncommon for military families such as his. Whatever the truth is, he is alive and well at one of the most prestigious combat schools in the world._

 _Unfortunately this is the only information I gleaned from my research, as is it impossible for me to attempt an accurate psychological evaluation on a boy I have never spoken to. Perhaps, however, a time will arise in the future when such a meeting will be possible._

 _Stay safe, dear sister. The dangers of the battlefield are not always confined to it._

 _Winter_

* * *

Jaunt stifled a yawn as he always did as he pushed through the doors leading to the sparring chamber. He was sure that the decision which Weiss had made to train early in the morning would be the death of him someday. And not in the way that one would think, such as getting a multi action dust rapier through the eye or being crushed to death by a training droid. No, he was certain that he would die of a broken neck as he tripped over his own feet and tumbled down the stairs in a half-asleep state.

Perhaps he would need to start trying to get to sleep earlier. He thought he was doing a good job with that already. But between his morning training, then classes, then solo training in the evening, perhaps it was all a little bit too exhausting. And he knew he couldn't tone down his training. Not if he wanted to succeed. So perhaps he would have to sacrifice what little free time he had left in his days in order to satisfy his body's apparent need for sleep.

He popped a piece of his breakfast into his mouth as he saw the usual sight of his pale-skinned training partner stretching. How was it that even so early in the morning that she was as breathtaking of a sight as she always was? While he stumbled around in a zombie-like state lucky to not be the stupid cause of his own death, Weiss was the very image of grace and beauty. Long white hair was tied in the usual ponytail on the right side of her head. He wondered why. The only thing he could think of was that she was left handed and relied on using the left side of her body to face and attack her foes. And thus she would always need a clear line of vision.

Clearing the thought from his head he opened his mouth to speak, but was hit with another yawn as he spoke. "Whas'p, Whyss," he managed as he put a hand up to cover his mouth.

She turned to face him as she always did when she greeted him. When Weiss spoke she was always direct, both with her words and her movements. She would always look him or anyone else in the eye, never afraid of the contact or any kind of confrontation that might come with it. Perhaps it was simply part of the etiquette in her upbringing.

"Good morning, Jaune..." she said as she trailed off. Her eyes drifted from his own down his body, specifically to his left hand. "What is that?"

With the look of a scolded puppy, Jaune immediately knew what she was talking about. His own eyes darted down to the floor to avoid her own.

"Jaune..." she said slowly, once more with a tone that made him feel like she was speaking to a guilty pet.

He slowly moved his left arm behind his back, as if hoping that stealthily doing so would make the problem go away. "It's, um, nothing..." he said.

Weiss' eyes narrowed as she took a few steps forward. "You're eating beef jerky, she said incredulously. "Again!" She extended her arm to shove her open palm in front of him. "Give it to me."

With the analogy now so cemented in his mind Jaune could only imagine her telling him to "drop it" next. The very thought of it made him smile to the point where he had to suppress a laugh. The action did not escape the perceptive eyes of his training partner, however.

"And what is so funny?" she asked him.

Jaune shrugged as he handed over his bag of jerky. "Nothing," he lied. However his next words were far more truthful. "It's nothing important."

Her eyes lingered on him for a moment longer before she stepped away. "And what is your excuse for this?" she asked, holding up the bag.

"I needed breakfast."

"You could have eaten anything for breakfast." Soon enough she had begun pacing back and forth in front of him as she often did when she went into lecture mode. "We attend a combat school known for training some of the finest warriors in the world. They know the importance of a healthy diet," she said before raising up a finger in front of his face for emphasis. "Especially breakfast!"

"But-"

A swift bop to the top of his head from the pommel of Myrtenaster quieted him quickly.

"Ow!" he yelped, more out of surprise than actual pain.

"And unlike many schools," she continued, ignoring the cry of pain he had emitted courtesy of her own weapon. "Beacon does not serve the normal cafeteria slop. You could have had egg whites. Fresh fruit. Lean protein. Anything in the world that your mind could have dreamed of!" She held the bag in front of him as if showing him a pair of chewed up shoes that he was to blame for. A scolded puppy indeed. "And instead you chose to eat this?"

Again he shrugged. He had his reasons. It was up to her to accept them or not. He was sure she wouldn't. "But it's so early," he complained. "I don't get enough sleep as it is, and you want me to wake up even earlier for cafeteria breakfast?"

Weiss stared at him unflinchingly when she gave her response. "Yes."

It had not at all been unexpected, he decided. Of course she would say that. Because since the very beginning of their time training together she had expected perfection from him. Even when she knew that he would not be able to achieve it. Because that was just who Weiss Schnee was. She was a perfectionist. And everyone around her had to conform to those standards. Not the other way around.

Jaune sighed. "Well, I can't."

"Then try harder."

He gave her a curious look. "What?"

Weiss stepped up to him once more. "Try. Harder," she said as she poked a finger into his chest to emphasize each word. She tilted her head up to look him in the eyes. "The only thing holding you back is you."

It was a surprisingly optimistic and positive view Weiss was displaying. The girl who normally thought so little of him that she had to explain every little detail was telling him that he could do something if he would only put in more effort. What could he possibly say to that? For the first time someone actually believed in him. Deep down he held the view that not even his parents believed he would succeed here at Beacon. At least that was the feeling he had when they had told him that it would be okay if things didn't work out and he had to come back home. But Weiss had spent week after week helping him in her own free time. Surely that had to mean she believed in him. Even if she had a strange way of showing it.

With a nod Jaune gave up arguing the point. He knew how well arguing with the heiress usually went. "Alright."

Weiss took a step back with a look of smug satisfaction on her face. "Good. Now let's get to today's practice."

Finally what he was looking forward to. Even on an empty stomach. Jaune wanted to grin stupidly as he always did when he thought about how he was actually enjoying learning for once. All of his life school had been nothing but a chore. Something to do for three quarters of the year. A passage of time. However he was finally learning something that he was determined to retain. Skills and knowledge that he wanted to excel in. He was even going so far as to learn on his own outside of the required curriculum. Was that just another facet of Weiss that was rubbing off on him?

Jaune unsheathed Crocea Mors and held it along with his shield at the ready. He figured that there would be more light sparring going on today.

"Now," she began as she did so often before slipping into 'teacher' mode. "We have covered many of the basic principles of the Atlesian School of Fencing." She dug into the bag of confiscated food and placed a piece in her mouth.

The action did not sit well with Jaune as he spoke up in protest. "Hey, why do you get to eat that?"

Weiss shot him an annoyed glance as she swallowed. "What?"

"My beef jerky," he said pointing accusingly at the bag. "You just finished a rant about why it was so bad. So why do you get to eat it?"

"Because my body is already in peak physical condition. A little bit of sodium from time to time will do me no harm."

Jaune grumbled something unintelligible under his breath. There was the old saying of 'do as I say, not as I do'. He understood that was a reality in some cases. But this was unacceptable. This was food they were talking about here. _His_ food. And nobody should ever stand between a man and his food.

His muttering did not go unnoticed. "Excuse me," she said as she glared daggers in his direction. "Are you going to infer that my body is not in peak physical condition?"

Only an idiot or a fool would do anything but speak positively about a woman when she asked a question about her appearance. Especially a woman who could kick his ass all across Beacon if she felt so inclined to do so. And although she did frequently call him a fool, he was not so big of one that he would say anything negative about her looks. Because if he had to say anything about her, she was the absolute picture of beauty. And like pretty much any other girl here at this school, completely out of his league.

"No, no," he said hurriedly. "You are indeed in top physical condition. Stunning! Gorgeous even!"

For the single briefest moment her anger seemed to fade as what looked to be a blush crept on her cheeks. She turned her head away from him before resuming the lesson. "As I was saying. Your footwork is admittedly fantastic thanks to..." She paused, and Jaune could imagine either a frown or an annoyed look on her face. "Your... colorful past." That was putting it lightly. "You have practiced using your shield offensively to the point where it is becoming second nature to you. And I think we both know that you are fully capable of using it defensively since your very first fight in Professor Goodwitch's class."

There was no arguing that last point. Before he had begun training with Weiss using his shield to defend himself, or "hiding behind it" as she had put it was the only thing he could do well against a live opponent. But thanks to her he could do so much more than just that.

"Therefore," she continued. "I want to go over a new sword technique today. What's known in the discipline as the 'fool's guard'."

Jaune smiled as memories flooded into his mind as soon as the two words were spoken. He had been reading up on the book he had checked out of the library for the past few days now. And he was familiar with this technique. In fact he had paid particularly close attention to it due to its name alone. Weiss had called him a fool on more than one occasion. He figured that there was a strong probability of it being brought up as a result. Clearly his foresight had paid off.

By the time she had begun explaining the technique he was already one step ahead of her. He subtly lowered Crocea Mors so that the tip of it was pointing down to the floor.

"I want you to take the point of your sword and lower-"

"Like this?" he interrupted.

Appearing just how he imagined she would have ordered him to be positioned, Jaune looked to be a live model of the sketching he had seen in the book.

Weiss stood blinking for a few seconds before she finally spoke. "Yes."

Jaune smiled and nodded. "Okay, what's next."

The girl took a moment to compose herself before she went on. "The purpose of this stance is deception. By exposing the upper parts of your body-"

"You appear to be inviting attack," he finished.

This time Weiss' reaction was more physical. Her face darkened as her hands found themselves placed on her hips. "What are you doing?" she asked.

"What?" he asked innocently.

She stared at him as she had before. But this time Jaune could tell that behind those icy eyes she was annoyed. Not just at being interrupted. But because, like any other teacher, she did not enjoy her student telling her the information that she was attempting to teach him.

"Nothing," she said in a harsh whisper. "Anyway, this technique is particularly effective against aggressive opponents. When they see that you have appeared to expose a weakness, they..."

She stopped, giving him another annoyed glance as if she expected him to interrupt her once more. He did not. For long seconds silence hung in the air.

"What's wrong?" he asked again.

Weiss shook her head. She answered the same as she had the last time. "Nothing." Somehow in this instance she sounded even more annoyed than the first time. "As I was saying. When your opponent rushes in to try and take advantage of your opening, you can respond in a number of ways."

"Like sidestepping the attack or even striking upward with the false edge of the blade?" he asked. But he already knew this was the correct answer.

Weiss took a deep breath in through her nose before exhaling through her mouth. It was a classic calming method to help alleviate stress. Was this really getting to her so badly?

"Okay, what is going on here?" she asked, the annoyance now dominant in her tone. Clearly she had just answered his own mental question. "Why are you finishing my sentences? And furthermore, how do you even know all of this?"

Anger had not quite been the reaction he had hoped to elicit from the girl. Sure it was fun to annoy her. He had found that out early on in their training sessions. But here he was not actively attempting to do so. Well... maybe a little bit. Because all work and no play made Jaune a dull boy. Even when taking things seriously there was room for a little bit of fun. It helped to eliminate stress in what was by nature a very stressful environment. And judging by what he knew about Weiss and especially what he was seeing now, Weiss could use all of the stress relief she could use. But she never seemed to want to accept it.

In any case he would not lie to her. There was no reason to. He had put a lot of time and effort into both his training and his studying. And both were paying off. If anything maybe it would make life a little bit easier for her if she knew how seriously he was taking this. Maybe her opinion of him would improve if she knew that he was attempting to help her teach him.

"I found a book on the Atlesian School of Fencing," he told her. "And I've been reading it for the past few days."

Jaune saw her head tilt slightly, seemingly in interest if he had to take a guess. "Is that so?" she asked.

"Yup. Fool's guard, ox guard, roof guard. I've read about them all."

"Reading and putting them into practice are two totally different things," she told him. Her hand drifted up toward her face before she stopped it midair and lowered it again.

Jaune shrugged. "I know. I just thought you might have been impressed that I'm taking this so seriously."

"So you are," she admitted. "Okay, so you want to impress me?"

That had been an unexpected question. But one that he could not help but be intrigued by. "Yeah. What do you have in mind?"

A small smirk crept onto her lips. "Show me how much you've learned. We're going on a little field trip."

"A field trip?"

"Yes. Like I said. It's one thing to read about fighting. But putting into practice is a completely different animal." The smile seemed to widen with that last word. "Literally."

"And that means...?" he asked hesitantly.

"Why are you here, Jaune?"

Why was he here? To be a huntsman. To honor his family's legacy. To not be a worthless fool. To not be helpless in a fight. To make something of himself. To prove his doubters wrong. There were so many reasons he was here. How could he choose just one to tell her?

"Well..." he began, trying to figure out which was the best one to tell her.

"To kill Grimm," she finished for him.

Well, there was that one too. Just add it to the list. Wait, did that mean...

"So we're going on a little field trip to the Emerald Forest. And since you've been reading so much about the Atlesian School of Fencing, we're going to see your new skills in action."

A shiver ran down Jaune's spine. Practicing in the safety of Beacon's halls was one thing. A controlled duel against a fellow student, albeit a cold, fearsome, and often mean-spirited student. But there was never any risk of harm.

He had faced off against Grimm before on the day of his initiation. But that had been with seven of his classmates. And even when he only had the most basic of sword skills there had been a comfort in those numbers. But now alone with Weiss? With her as his only backup? And even worse still, with him as her only support? The thought terrified him.

"I'm not sure about..."

"No," she told him. "We're going. Give me one reason why someone who's studying to kill Grimm for a living shouldn't practice doing so."

He had no reason. He had no excuse. Except for the truth. And he was not about to reveal that to her.

"Okay," he relented. "When are we going out there?"

"Right now."

Jaune's eyes widened as he began to sputter a protest. But he was quickly silenced when she grabbed him by the wrist.

"You've already demonstrated a knowledge of today's lesson plan," she said as she began dragging him behind her. For the briefest of moments he had dug his heels into the floor before he gave up and started following after her. "So there's nothing left for you to learn today. Now it's time to put that knowledge to practical use."

He could feel his mouth beginning to dry. The anxiety was building in his chest. He was about to go out into the wild, into the unknown, with only Weiss at his side. And he was expected to slay monsters.

Maybe it wouldn't be so bad. She did believe in him after all. That had to count for something, right?

There was only one way to find out.

* * *

A hint of moisture hung in the air as Weiss took a deep breath. It must have rained overnight and she had not even realized it. The ground was still muddy as a result. And that did not bode well for a girl who wore white. Even more so for one who wore high heels.

The rays of the rising sun peeked through the forest canopy. Judging by when they had left the sparring chamber and how long it had taken them to get to this point they would probably only have about an hour before they would need to start preparing for classes. And even then that would be cutting it close. Because for Weiss it took time to prepare herself in the morning. Her long white hair took effort to wash and dry. Even if in the end it was only put in a simple ponytail, she took the time to ensure that it was properly maintained.

But this would be worth it. She still remembered the words from Winter's letter. The ones about Jaune not having any record of having attended a combat school prior to Beacon. It would explain why he was such a poor fighter prior to meeting her. That would have been enough of an explanation for her. But then Winter had also mentioned the fact that he could have been privately tutored much in the same way she had. And if that were the case, and he had been trained by the finest instructors available, then why was he such a novice?

Weiss herself had gone through rigorous training at the hands of her tutors. They had taught her that she must be perfect. They had taught her the realities of the world even in a controlled environment. That if she made the same mistakes on the battlefield that she had during her training sessions that she would be dead.

And now here she was on an actual battlefield. Not one where armies would fight. Such events had not taken place since the Faunus War. However every encounter with the creatures of Grimm turned the ground into a battlefield. Once more, just as it had been on initiation day, the Emerald Forest would become their field of battle.

The creatures of Grimm were numerous around the protective walls of Beacon. In a combat school where stress levels ran high as a result of training, studying, and the basic social tendencies of teenagers, they would be drawn to the many negative emotions that would result from the environment. Finding the monsters would not be the problem. And she was eager to see just what Jaune would be able to do against them. Because the last time they had fought against them together had been as part of a much larger group. It had been a fight for their lives. And paying attention to the small details of how he performed in battle had not been a priority.

In fact the only thing she really remembered about Jaune during initiation was when she had been falling through the air after hitching a ride on the back of a Nevermore. He had leapt out of a tree to catch her during her freefall. And in the end his brash act of heroism had been rewarded with him landing facedown onto the dirt with her sitting atop his back. The height of the fall and force of the impact would have killed a normal person. And even to someone with an Aura it should have done significant damage. But he had come out nearly unscathed. It was merely another example of his obscenely high amount of Aura.

Now that she thought about it she had never actually thanked him for the sacrifice, other than the sardonic remark upon landing. Then again at the time her only previous experience with him had been his nagging presence as he searched for the locker rooms. Perhaps the fact that she was training him would be enough of an unspoken thank you. Even if her intentions were entirely selfish in nature.

She snuck a glimpse at the boy who walked beside her. Jaune had insisted being on the left side of her so that his shield arm would be able to cover both of them rather than hang uselessly next to her. He was thinking strategically. And that had been a most unexpected development. But then again Winter had once said that the Arc line was renowned for their keen warrior intellect. Was this small gesture an example of it?

His eyes were scanning all around searching for enemies. That was good. At least he was being aware of his surroundings. As he had said earlier, he was taking the training seriously. Mentally Weiss gave herself a pat on the back. She had taken an utter buffoon and was transforming him into a true warrior. And soon enough she would rub that in Cardin's face.

Weiss would not forget about that boy, nor the wager that they had made. Their upcoming duel was one of the reasons she had decided to go with the fool's guard technique. Because Cardin Winchester was exactly the sort of arrogant and impulsive opponent who would fall for such a ruse. Based on how she had seen him fight in the past as well as his personality, Weiss knew that he would not be able to resist attacking what he perceived to be a weak opponent. Because Cardin was a bully. He enjoyed picking on the weak. And once he spotted an opening he would be relentless in his attack. But if he were to be drawn in by a feint then the hunter would become the prey. And it would be glorious.

But for the moment she turned her attention back to the task at hand. Taking another glance at the young man beside her, Jaune seemed to have his head on a swivel as he scanned the brush and foliage scattered all around them. She could feel the nervous energy seeping from him. And in a combat situation such feelings could become contagious at an alarming rate. She needed to focus his attention on something else before she too was affected.

"Jaune," she said, breaking the verbal silence between the two.

He did not look at her when he replied. "Yeah?"

Weiss frowned. Not because of his lack of manners. But because he was still being fidgety. "Look at me."

He did as he was told just as he had done so many times in the past. His blue eyes locked onto her own and for long moments the two just stared at one another until she spoke. She had to say something to get his mind out of wherever it currently was.

"Tell me about your training," she said. "Before me."

Jaune averted his gaze from her once more, this time looking to the ground as they continued walking. Just as he always did when it came to his family. It was a familiar pattern that repeated itself time and time again. Perhaps Winter was on point once more. Perhaps he had been trained privately by his family.

"Well," he began before pausing for a few seconds. "My dad is a huntsman. So growing up I learned some stuff from him."

Bingo. So he was privately tutored. And by a professional huntsman no less.

 _Winter, you never cease to amaze me with your insight. Even from thousands of miles away._

Weiss decided to press the issue. She wanted to know more about his family. She wanted to know more about why Jaune was the way he was. Because maybe it would lend some insight into her own struggles.

"What kind of things did your father teach you?"

Jaune shrugged. "Oh, you know. How to hold a sword." He paused and laughed. "Not that holding a sword is all that hard. Or swinging it. I mean, what's there to understand about swish, swish, stab?"

 _Far more than you realize,_ she thought. _That's why we're having the lessons._

"A lot," she said, vocalizing her thoughts.

He shrugged again. "I guess so. I mean, once you get into all the fancy stuff. Other than that it's just stick the pointy end into the Grimm."

A crude but correct assessment, she decided.

Weiss followed up her initial question with another. "Is that all of the training you received?" she asked. "Only from your father?"

"Well..." he started. "There was this school in Vale I attended for a few years. A small one. You've probably never even heard of it, being from Atlas and all."

She frowned again. That detail had not been in Winter's letter. And it was not like her sister to miss an important piece of information such as that.

"I see." Silence lingered in the air for a moment before she continued. "What was the school's name? I may have heard of it."

Jaune's sword and shield were in his hands, but it did not stop him from bringing up his right arm to scratch his neck with a couple of fingers he freed from gripping the hilt of Crocea Mors. Had he been any ordinary person without an Aura it would have been seen as an incredibly stupid and dangerous action. Potentially even fatal should he stumble or trip on the uneven ground they now treaded.

"Siren Academy," he said.

She had indeed never heard of it. Then again she was not familiar with Vale the same way she was with Atlas. The only combat school in this kingdom she knew other than Beacon itself was Signal. And that was because it was where both Ruby and Yang had attended before arriving here.

"Hmm," she hummed. "You're right. I haven't heard of it."

"Yeah. Like I said, small school. Nothing fancy."

"It seems like it has that effect on its graduates as well."

Weiss did not know why she had thrown in that tiny jab at Jaune's character. Simply out of habit, if she had to take a guess. But before she could think any further on the matter she noticed that Jaune was on guard once more.

"Hey," he said. "Do you feel like something's watching us?"

For him to ask such a crazy question was not unexpected. It was one of the perks of Aura. That feeling of being watched by something you could not see and truly had no idea was even there was a survival mechanism. Something that humanity had evolved with in a dark and cruel world where only the strongest survived. And the feeling was not something to be taken lightly. Especially when trekking through the Emerald Forest.

The hairs on the back of Weiss' neck perked up and she felt her heart rate begin to increase. A few mere words had triggered endorphins to begin flooding her own body. A biological response that all humans possessed whether they had their Aura unlocked or not. Fight or flight. And soon enough it would be put into action when they faced the creatures of Grimm.

"Yes," she agreed. Finally they had found something. Or rather, something had found them. She held Myrtenaster up now rather than at her side. "Keep your eyes open."

Jaune nodded as he held his shield close to his body and Crocea Mors at the ready. She saw him scanning the surrounding area once more, but was not annoyed by it this time.

For long minutes the two continued their tour of the forest seeking out Grimm to slay. Time was of the essence, and soon they would need to begin their journey back to Beacon to prepare for the day's classes. Weiss hoped that today's lesson would not go to waste. Because time was precious when faced with a deadline. And her deadline was the end of the semester.

After several minutes of silence Jaune spoke up again. "Do you think it was a false alarm?"

Weiss shook her head. "No. Not in this forest."

"I guess," he agreed. "It's just weird tha-crap!"

Before Weiss could even wonder what had just happened she saw that a single Beowolf had leapt out from the cover of the trees and was heading straight towards Jaune.

In a flash the huntsman in training raised his shield up just in time for the slavering jaws of the Grimm to bounce off of it harmlessly. It landed several feet away from the pair of teens, seemingly stunned for a brief moment from the force of the impact.

Jaune's feet had been moved several paces from the blow, as Weiss saw by the skid lines in the mud from where was now compared to where he had once been standing.

The Beowolf in question was relatively small compared to what Weiss had both seen and faced in the past. But it was still a force to be reckoned with. A wild beast. A mass of muscle and fury with razor sharp claws and teeth. And given the opportunity it would tear them both apart without hesitation.

The creatures eyes stared at Jaune for a moment before it once more launched itself towards him. This time he was ready for the attack and his knees were slightly bent, just as she had taught him. His feet were not planted to the ground, which would have been disastrous in the muddy terrain. Another crash of flesh on steel reverberated throughout the forest as the Beowolf was met with a forceful punch from Jaune's shield. As it fell to the ground once, this time a little more worse for wear, Jaune plunged Crocea Mors into its neck, eliciting a sharp squeal from the beast. A moment later it was dead and its body had begun to fade away into nothing more than black dust.

* * *

Adrenaline surged through Jaune's body. What a rush that had been. The Beowolf had come out of nowhere. He knew that there was something out there, but he could not tell what or where it was. And then in a flash it was upon them. It had taken every ounce of speed in his body to get his shield up in time to protect him from the teeth of the Beowolf. But in the end he had won. He had prevailed. All on his own. It felt good. He felt like he could take on the world at this very moment.

Jaune could not help but let a silly grin overtake his face. Maybe he could do this after all. Maybe he could be a huntsman. Just like his father. Maybe he could be a hero. Just like everyone else in his family.

"Did you see that?" he asked Weiss, who was still close by with her rapier raised and ready to attack. "One strike, one kill," he said proudly.

Weiss' turned her attention to him when she spoke. "Don't get too cocky," she warned. "Beowolves are a dime a dozen."

This was true. They were relatively low on the totem pole when it came to the creatures of Grimm. But still. He had taken it out with no help. With no panic. With no running away or flailing helplessly and waiting for someone else to come to the rescue. And that was something to give him pride. No matter how small it was, it was an important first step.

"I know," he admitted. Then a sudden chill overtook him. A dime a dozen. "Weiss, wait. Remember Professor Port's..."

Jaune's words trailed off as he began to look all around him. What Weiss said was true. Beowolves were a dime a dozen. Because usually there were that many or more in a pack. Beowolves, much like their animal counterparts, were pack hunters. It was one of the earliest lessons learned in Professor Port's Grimm Studies class. Knowing the different types of Grimm which inhabited Vale. Knowing how they hunted. Knowing how they fought. All of these lessons were designed to help better kill the creatures. Because to know your foe was to defeat your foe.

And now here they were in the middle of the Emerald Forest with a pack of Beowolves hunting them. All around them pairs of glowing red eyes could be seen peeking from the trees and bushes. Then they started to emerge. Jaune looked around to see that the pack had surrounded them. And they had chosen now to finally strike.

The beasts kept a respectable distance from the teens. Far enough away to not be an easy target for their blades, but close enough that a few strides from their powerful legs would allow them to be upon their prey. And the creatures also kept a healthy distance away from one another. Not only so that they would not get in one another's way during the hunt. But also so that they could not be killed together by a single attack from the students.

Then the leader emerged. The Alpha. And compared to the rest of them it was truly monstrous. Standing at least nine feet tall on its hind legs it was a walking mass of muscle and white armored plates which adorned its body. But it kept to the rear of the rest of the pack. Watching. Waiting.

Jaune's heart pounded in his chest, the thumping more noticeable as it impacted his breastplate. "Weiss," he said gravely. "Get your back against mine."

She did as requested, and the two found themselves pressed up to one another back to back. Jaune adjusted his shield so that while it still covered some of his side, it also covered the exposed right side of Weiss where she would not be looking as she wielded Myrtenaster.

"Okay," he said once they were in position. "Do you have a plan?"

He heard a small laugh escape her lips, and while he could not see her expression he could only imagine that she had a smug smile on her face. "We see what you've learned so far."

One of the Beowolves on Jaune's side made a move to leap forward, but stopped after a step. Jaune's reaction however had been to move his shield to face his attacker. But when it was clear that the move had just been a feint he replaced the defensive device in its former position.

"And that means...?" he asked.

"You've killed one Beowolf today," she said. "Go kill some more."

It was simple enough in theory. But was it a good idea? Weiss had not steered him wrong so far. He would not start doubting her now. However there was still one question on his mind.

"What about you?"

"I'll be fine." she said calmly. "This is your training exercise, remember?"

Jaune nodded. "Alright. If you say so."

He moved forward and away from Weiss to go and take on the Grimm which still regarded him from several yards away. The glowing red eyes of his hunters was not nearly as unnerving as the low growls which emitted from the Grimm's mouths, however. If he did not know any better Jaune would have thought that the creatures were actually communicating with one another and planning out their next move. Such ideas were impossible, however. He was happy for that knowledge.

Another of the Grimm made a move forward to attack and stopped again. And Jaune adjusted accordingly as he moved several more feet to his side. Soon enough he saw why.

Only a handful of the Grimm were still focused on him. The rest were closing in on Weiss. But before he could move back closer to her the beasts all closed in on him as one. From three different directions the Grimm bounded forward and leapt through the air towards their prey. Jaune knew this was going to hurt. And there was nothing he could do to defend against all three at once. And in an instant he made a decision.

He ran towards the one which was coming from his left with his shield in front of him like a pilot attached to the front of a train. With weight and momentum on his side he smashed into the Grimm while it was in mid-leap and sent it flying back several yards onto its side, stunned but far from out of the fight.

It had been a lesson Jaune learned early on in his training with Weiss. Be proactive. Do not let your opponent dictate the fight. Force them to react to you rather than the other way around. By doing what he had done just now not only had he temporarily incapacitated one of his foes, but he had altered the plans of the other two. And this was a far better outcome than being a sitting duck for three simultaneous attacks.

His change of positioning caused the other two Beowolves to miss their intended marks, but in an instant the they adjusted accordingly and were on him once more. A purely reflexive slash from Crocea Mors caught one in its gaping maw and Jaune was rewarded with the sight of seeing that the length of his blade had caught not only its mouth, but its neck as well. Like the first it fell to the ground and began to disintegrate into nothingness.

Another tiny victory. And if enough tiny victories piled up on one another that would eventually turn into a major victory. Right? Three Beowolves had charged at him. One was dead. Another was slowly getting to its feet. He had handled them easily enough.

The third wolf, however, he could do nothing about. Being limited by two arms meant that he could not defend against everything, and Jaune felt a weight upon his back and stumbled forward, his shield falling from his grasp as he did so. His head slammed hard into the ground and for what seemed like eternity his vision was blackened as it sunk into the ground below him. With all of his strength he pushed up so that he was able to see and breathe once more. As his face emerged from the mud he felt the jaws of the beast trying its hardest to tear through one of his shoulder pauldrons which currently blocked the Grimm from getting a clear shot at his neck. With as much force as he could muster Jaune sent an elbow backwards into the Beowolf which was atop him. A crack of his steel elbow pad meeting the teeth of the Grimm filled his ears, and in an instant Jaune flipped over onto his back, the new-found freedom in his sword arm allowing him to swing Crocea Mors as he moved. The honed edge of his ancestral blade tore through Grimm flesh like a hot knife through butter, and a pained and angry snarl shot from its mouth as it moved to get away from the source of its suffering. As it did so Jaune pressed forward with his attack and gripped Crocea Mors in both hands, plunging its length into the wounded side of the Beowolf.

The fighting here was so savage. Filthy. And not just because of the muddy ground on which he fought. This was a far cry from how he and his friends had fought on initiation day. There everything had seemed so coordinated. There was no room for such fancy moves here. While at the time initiation had been a desperate fight for survival, it had not seemed this desperate. Here there was no room for error. There was no one to cover his back now that Weiss was engaged against foes of her own.

Jaune stood and wiped as much mud from his face as he could with the back of a gloved hand so that his vision was no longer obscured. But before he could check on Weiss the last Beowolf, the one he had stunned only seconds earlier with his shield, was back upon him.

From his left it lunged for him once more, its jaws aiming to clamp around his neck and tear out his jugular vein. With no shield to protect him Jaune raised his arm instinctively to guard the more vital areas of his body. The beast accepted this and attached itself to his arm before it began to violently twist in an attempt to rip his arm clean off. And while his Aura protected his body from the worst of the damage, his hoodie was not so lucky. The black fabric ripped off from the shoulder and was brought down all the way to his wrist, bringing the orange forearm clothing and white armor plates on his arm with it. Worse still, as much as Aura did to protect one from harm, it did not make them invincible. Jagged teeth gripped his flesh, and for the first few seconds his Aura held the jaws in check. But finally the Beowolf's teeth sank in an drew blood. Several long and deep gashes appeared in Jaune's exposed arm as the Grimm continued its vicious assault.

Jaune cried out in pain, and then rage overtook his mind. The sight of his own blood and the beast hanging onto his limb with all of its might made him numb to the pain which he had felt only moments earlier. All that remained was the primal urge to survive. With a single strong thrust he buried Crocea Mors into the eye socket of the Beowolf which was still attached to his limb. Immediately after this the pressure on his arm ceased as the creature faded away just as the others had.

He grit his teeth and breathed hard. How close to death had he just come? He did not know. All he knew was that he had come face to face with a mindless killer and had come out on top. He gripped Crocea Mors tightly as he looked around for any more nearby threats. There were none that he could see.

Looking down at his arm Jaune saw that it was a crimson mess covered in a mixture of his own blood and the Grimm's saliva. But after a few seconds he saw the wounds begin to close up and heal. And then his arm felt as good as new. It was strange. There did not seem to be any structural damage. He flexed the limb to test its range of motion and it appeared to be normal. Other than the fact that his left arm was a bloody ruin and his clothes and armor were damaged he seemed to be in perfect shape.

Jaune reached down to grab his shield from mud and hoped that Weiss was faring better than he had.

* * *

This was as easy as she expected it to be.

Weiss had already dispatched several of the Beowolves that had assailed her with no trouble. Through a combination of her glyphs and Myrtenaster she had torn through them as if they were made of paper. But there were still so many. And only a handful of them had gone to fight Jaune. Silently she wondered why that was.

The Alpha had still not attacked. It seemed content to watch as the rest of the pack went forward and died. For now the rest of the Beowolves had retreated to what they believed was a safe distance. They were gravely mistaken.

Casting a glyph beneath her feet Weiss darted forward in a flash with Myrtenaster extended forward. The Grimm which had once thought itself to be out of reach found itself impaled on the length of her blade and died just as its companions had. The one that once stood to its right attempted to avenge its fallen friend, if such thoughts even existed in the minds of Grimm. It met a similar fate as Weiss twisted to avoid the closing jaws of the beast and lashed out with the tip of her rapier to deliver a killing blow to the back of the Grimm's skull.

She lifted her foot from the mud which it had become mired in. A frustrated scowl rapidly spread on her face. This was presenting more of a problem as time went on. In her heels her movement was becoming more limited the more she moved around. As a result she was having to rely on her glyphs for movement and momentum far more than she would have liked. And that meant that her Aura was draining quicker than usual.

That was when Weiss saw the Alpha move. It turned its head over to where Jaune was, and Weiss did the same. The young man stood bloodied but alive. His left arm was almost bare where it had once been clothed and armored, and she could see that this was where the most serious damage had been done to him.

With an unspoken command the pack turned and ran toward Jaune. It made sense. Perhaps they smelled the blood. Or perhaps they sensed that their prey had been weakened and were closing in for the kill. As such, all thoughts of killing her, the one who had been cutting through them with ease, were pushed from their minds.

Jaune had handled a handful of Grimm well enough so far. At least she assumed so because he was still standing while they were not. But now there were at least half a dozen of the creatures closing in on him. And they were being led by an Alpha. There was no way he would survive that alone.

Without a second thought Weiss waved Myrtenaster before her as she prepared to cast another glyph.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Fun fact: I actually researched wolf pack hunting strategies while writing this chapter. Okay, maybe not so much a fun fact. But an informative fact. Which is what a fact should be. The only issue was that unlike elk or caribou, Jaune and Weiss would not get frightened and run away from the pack.

The reason I did this is because I wanted Grimm to actually seem like a threat rather than just mindless fodder. Because while that's fun to look at in the Red Trailer, reading about it doesn't leave much room for drama or suspense. Describing the endless ways to massacre Beowolves without breaking a sweat didn't seem very entertaining. Also because like Dr. Oobleck said, all Grimm aren't mindless. They learn with age. So it stands to reason that they can act like actual predators. I wanted to write some realistic fight scenes rather than what we see in the show where people can just cut through five Grimm at a time with ease. I don't know if it's the right way to do things, but it felt right here with Jaune.

As for Aura, we've seen people bleed despite having Aura. Like Weiss in the White Trailer. So Jaune bled here despite his Aura initially protecting him. It just healed him immediately afterward. Aura's a strange thing to write about. I've found that there aren't really any clearly defined rules. And every author handles it differently. So hopefully it wasn't too weird here.

Thanks for reading. I hope you enjoyed it. Let me know your thoughts on how I handled these topics, as well as everything else.


	12. Chapter 12

**Author's Note:** There's so much I would like to say about volume 4 up to this point! But because I know that not everyone has seen it yet I shouldn't. That makes me wonder though, why are you sitting here reading this story if you could be watching new content! Not that I'm saying you should leave right now and do that... no. Stay here. Read this.

And speaking of reading this, thanks go out as always to everyone for reading and reviewing. With this chapter the story has surpassed 100,000 words. And without all of you out there continuing to inspire me to push forward I would not have made it this far. So thank you so much for all of your support.

* * *

What had once been a feeling of victory was quickly being overcome by a new feeling of dread. After retrieving his shield Jaune had set out to find Wiess and see how she was faring. Naturally the heiress was handling herself with all of the grace and martial prowess that he had expected of the girl. In a flash she had dispatched a pair of Beowolves as if they were nothing more than a minor nuisance. That was when things had gone south.

Numerous pairs of baleful glowing eyes had turned their attention toward him. Including a set belonging to the biggest Grimm of all. The monstrosity made of muscle and sinew that towered over even a young man of his impressive stature. The Alpha which was apparently the leader of the pack lacked the menacing cunning that its lesser kin seemed to possess. But it made up for the absence of subtlety with its sheer physical presence. Even Cardin Winchester would have looked like a mere child in comparison to the beast which now had its crimson eyes focused entirely on Jaune.

That was when they started running. Not away from Weiss so much as towards him. It moved with lightning quick speed for something of its size. Jaune was around 175 lbs if he had to make a guess. He was tall and lean, and unlike Cardin did not have an abundance of muscle on his frame. The creature that was now rushing in his direction had to be at least 800 lbs. To say that it was out of his weight class would be an understatement. But in this situation there was nothing he could do but fight. That was why he was out here. That was why he was at this school period. To fight.

The smaller Beowolves formed almost a vanguard of the assault, their agile bodies speeding ahead of the Alpha toward their prey. Jaune didn't even realize he was holding his breath as he readied his shield at his left side, standing sideways with Crocea Mors held close to the front of his body. There would be no room for feints or fool's guard techniques here. Now was the time for brutality. For fighting with everything he had. For the struggle to stay alive. And if he could not then maybe he didn't deserve to be here. Deep down he knew it was the truth. He did not deserve to be here at all. Yet here he was. About to pay the price for his lies.

The lead Beowolf opened its jaws as it leapt through the air at Jaune, and he could see the blackness inside its vicious toothed maw. Just as it was about to make contact a massive blue spinning glyph appeared before him. Through its translucent structure he saw that the Grimm crashed into it with a sickening thud before falling to the mud below. A number of the other Beowolves did the same before those behind realized the need to stop.

Jaune's wide eyes scanned all around him, unable to discern what had just happened in that moment. But soon enough the answer came to him. Speeding through the air by what was no doubt glyph-powered ability, Weiss drove her rapier into the body of one of the stunned Grimm before wisely jumping back and out of the range of immediate counterattack. She was breathing heavily, something Jaune had never seen her actually do before. Whenever they sparred she always held the upper hand. And she always held back her true strength.

"Are you alright?" she asked. It was uncharacteristically charitable of her.

"Yeah," he said as he looked at the Grimm which were picking themselves off of the forest floor. "I'm doing just great now that you're here."

"Spare me the pleasantries," she said in a serious tone. "We need to kill that Alpha."

That was the understatement of the year. The great beast stood behind its regrouping kin, its glowing red eyes still focused only on the boy. It was unnerving beyond belief. He had thought that Grimm were mindless. That they were driven by some instinctual need to kill. But the leader seemed different. Not only did it want to kill them. But it had a plan for doing so.

The glyph which Weiss had cast to block the tide of Grimm faded away, leaving the pair of teens exposed to further attacks. Weiss readied her rapier in her classic fencing stance, standing tall and proud with her left arm extended out to point accusingly at the dark creatures which stood before her.

"Cover me," she ordered.

Jaune frowned. "What?" he asked. "What does that even-"

But before he could finish Weiss had casted another glyph, this time a white one underneath her. Propelling herself high into the air, she seemed to hang there with all of the grace and beauty of a pure white dove in mid-flight. When she had reached the apex of her leap another glyph appeared parallel to her body, which she used to springboard off of and down straight toward her target. The Alpha.

Jaune watched awestruck as she accelerated down with more speed than he had ever seen her move with before. Mytenaster struck straight and true, the heiress driving its tip into the exposed meat of its shoulder between thick armor plates and spines. And there the sword stayed, stuck like a needle in a pin cushion. Though it was only for a split second, Weiss seemed to hang off the beast gripping her sword for what seemed like an eternity before a savage claw swiped at her sending both the girl and her weapon flying through the air and impacting hard on the ground.

"Weiss!" Jaune called out in horror, only for his focus to be interrupted by one of the Beowolves which mauled him to the ground.

Jaune suffered the harsh consequences of being distracted on the battlefield. He found himself on his back once more trying desperately to defend himself. Snapping jaws tried to close around his face and rend exposed flesh, but again he used his more expendable parts to his advantage and blocked the creature with his arm. This time however it happened to have a shield attached to it, and the slavering mouth of the Beowolf found only a meal of painted steel to sink its teeth into.

Unable to get a clean and impactful hit with his sword arm in his current position on his back, Jaune did the next best thing. When there was a brief respite in the Grimm's assault he took the shield and bashed its thin edge into the skull of the beast. A pained howl erupted from its lips and it backed off. Just in time for the remainder of the pack to join in.

With an opening to the bloody and beaten prey the Grimm descended upon Jaune with all the savagery one would expect of a pack of predators. Jaune screamed as he felt the teeth and claws all over his body, his Aura working overtime to shield him from the vicious mauling. Unlike before where the lone Grimm had clamped down on his arm and pierced what was essentially a force field over his skin, the multiple Beowolves which now assailed him actually had a disadvantage in their numbers. None of them were able to get a solid grip on his body. The very presence of so many of them prevented the others from being able to focus on a single part of his body. Instead their nipping bites and scratches tore away at every inch of his body as they almost fought one another to try and be the one to get the killing blow. But it was not only each other who they fought.

Because Jaune was an aspiring huntsman. And he was armed and trained to kill Grimm. No matter how ugly he looked while he did it. As he screamed he swung and slashed wildly in all directions like a man on fire trying to put himself out. He squirmed, thrashed, kicked and punched with no particular target in mind. There was no skill. No lessons from Weiss applied here. No grand strategy would solve this problem. It was pure chaos. Sometimes his blows made solid contact. Other times they missed. But it was all he could do in his position. It was either swing like a madman or be devoured by the creatures of Grimm.

It would have been easy for fear and panic to overtake him. But in the moment his mind was blank. Instinct alone had taken over. He was too desperate to even be afraid. The press of bodies on him was limiting his lung's ability to even take in oxygen. Their weight was crushing him as pressed in all around him trying to kill him. Mud and dirt was kicked up from the ground to cover his face. He was smothered in darkness as black and white bodies struggled to penetrate his Aura. He was only alive right now because of it.

Through his efforts the pressure lessoned on him as Grimm were knocked back by the wounds inflicted upon them by Crocea Mors. But it was not by him alone which won the battle. Jaune heard a feminine grunt above the growling and howling all around him and he soon realized why. Weiss stood over him with Myrtenaster glowing a brilliant red color all along its blade.

He gasped for air as he sat up. Through both his mouth and nose he filled his lungs without a care for what he looked or sounded like. The smell of burning fur and flesh filled Jaune's nostrils as he realized that the multi-action dust rapier had its name for a reason. The fire dust which now colored it sent the pack of Beowolves which had survived the combined assault fleeing from the teens.

When Weiss looked down to him he saw her eyes widen in shock. He had no idea what he looked like at the moment, but if the girl's reaction was anything to go by it was not good. For a long moment she stared before reaching down with her hand. He clasped it with his own and pulled himself up, almost pulling her down instead in the process. The difference in weight and strength between the two teens was telling in that moment, especially with Jaune being wounded.

As he got to his feet he gave himself a quick look to see his current condition. His breastplate was scratched and dented to the point where even he believed it would be a fashion disaster to wear outdoors. But it had done its job protecting his torso and the clothes underneath it. His blue jeans on the other hand were not so lucky, and they had been shredded below the knees along with a great number of holes torn into what remained above them. And where before only his left arm had endured damage, now both of his arms were bare, stripped of the clothing and armored plates which once adorned them. All of this was just what he could see. He had no idea what condition his face or back were in.

In that moment Jaune asked the only thing that he could think of. "Are you alright?"

Weiss gave him the look she usually reserved for when he made an incredibly stupid comment. "Are you insane? I should be asking you that."

Perhaps. It wasn't like her skirt and jacket had been torn beyond recognition. Or that she had just been mauled by multiple Beowolves on the cold and muddy floor of the Emerald Forest. Truthfully he had no idea what had happened to Weiss between her being sent flying from the Alpha and his encounter with the rest of the pack.

"I, uh..." he started before the Grimm started to come at them once more. "I feel fine."

The girl shook her head not out of disagreement but rather incredulity. "How?"

"I dunno," he answered honestly. "Let's talk about it more when we're not fighting for our lives."

As if to reinforce Jaune's statement one of the Beowolves jumped at him ready to continue where it had left off. It was met with stiff resistance as it bounced off of the raised shield of the tall boy before a swift thrust from the shorter girl pierced it and set the creature ablaze. The Grimm fell backwards thrashing wildly for a few seconds before its movements ceased and it disintegrated into nothingness.

"Nice combo," Jaune commented.

"Sure," Weiss said with a heavy breath. "Whatever you say."

He frowned as he looked at her. She was out of breath again. And judging by the fact that there were still several opponents facing them, along with the Alpha itself, that was not a good thing.

"We need a plan," he said stating the obvious.

"Yeah?" she said as she stared down the next Beowolves which were bearing down on them. "And my hair is white. Got any other brilliant observations?"

Weiss stepped forward about to thrust Myrtenaster into the lead Beowolf. And then sudden inspiration struck him. In a flash Jaune grabbed the girl by her free wrist and pulled her back.

She looked at him with surprised, almost angry eyes. But before she could speak in protest he pushed her behind him. The lead Grimm slammed into the shield which Jaune had raised in the last possible moment.

Jaune threw the beast back with a strong push of his arm. "Strike!" he shouted.

The heiress didn't need to be told that twice, and quickly darted out from behind Jaune to thrust Myrtenaster into the momentarily off-balance Grimm which had just impacted off of his shield. She pulled herself back immediately afterward. Another impact clang off of the shield and again she found herself flying forward to hit the beast which Jaune had just blocked.

As it too found itself in a fiery spasm on the ground, Jaune looked around to see that only a few of the creatures remained. Maybe three not counting the Alpha. If they could even the numbers a little bit maybe they could do this.

Jaune turned to look at his training partner turned battle partner. "Weiss," he said in a low tone.

It took her a moment to respond as she took a breath. "Yeah?"

"We need to focus on the smaller Grimm," he said as he pointed Crocea Mors to them to emphasize his point. "Pick them off and avoid the Alpha at the same time."

She snorted an undignified laugh for someone of her status. "Since when did you become a strategist?"

Jaune wondered the same thing. Here he was, as green as they came when faced with a battle situation, and he was issuing orders. Even only moments ago when he had physically restrained Weiss he had been directing the fight the way he thought it should be done. And it had worked. He saw in his mind's eye what would have happened had Weiss gone out to confront the multiple Beowolves which had been closing in on them. She would have killed the first, but would have been exposed to the others which were right next to it. By hiding Weiss from the Beowolves line of sight and limiting their target choice to a single man behind a strong shield the Grimm had only one course of action to take. The mindless beasts had only one person in their vision as they attacked. And their double team maneuver had exploited this weakness.

He remembered issuing orders on initiation day as well. It had just seemed natural then and there, but he hadn't given it much thought. While he was a below average fighter he seemed to have the ability to have a clear and sharp mind even in the midst of battle. Perhaps she was correct in calling him what she had. Not a fool or an idiot for once. But a strategist.

"I don't know," he answered. He took a deep breath. "But I think it's our only shot."

Weiss nodded wordlessly at the comment. She took up a position behind him and slightly to his left to peek over his shoulder. Myrtenaster was held at the ready to repeat the strategy they had been doing.

"You ready, sword?" he said, his mind whirling in confusion as to why he had just referred to her in what was essentially a dumb little codename.

There was a long pause as Jaune could only assume that the heiress' trademark frown had formed on her lips. But finally she spoke. "Ready when you are, shield."

He grinned at the answer. Maybe she was human after all.

* * *

Weiss gritted her teeth after speaking but did nothing to betray her condition. Not that Jaune would have been able to see anything even if she had. Standing behind him with Myrtenaster ready to strike, she watched the last Beowolves charge. The stupid beasts were playing right into their hands. Into his hands. And that was the most surprising fact so far.

Jaune may not have been the greatest fighter but he was somehow adept in coming up with a plan on the fly. Perhaps that was something he learned from that academy he mentioned. She would need to ask Winter about it later when they made it out of this mess. If they made it out. The Alpha was still out there. It had given her a nasty shock when she attempted to take it out with a single strike. She felt stupid. So incredibly stupid.

Her overconfidence had cost her dearly. Not just a matter of humiliation as she knew that Jaune would have seen her fail in her attack. But it had cost her precious Aura. Unlike Jaune and apparently the rest of the Arc line, Weiss did not possess an abundance of Aura. It was one reason that she was precise in her attacks. She never wasted any movement or effort when wielding Myrtenaster. Not only because she strived for perfection. But because she could not afford to waste any energy. The more she used her Semblance the more it drained her Aura. And the more hits she took the further it was depleted. And that mighty swing from the Alpha had sent her crashing back-first into a tree before falling unceremoniously to the ground. These simple facts told a story that only she could read at the moment. But if she were to continue to act as recklessly as she had it would soon become apparent for the young man who shielded her from harm.

The Alpha was on the move now as well. Perhaps it sensed the weakness in them both. Jaune was an utter mess. Those Beowolves had been on him for long seconds, which for him must have seemed like an eternity. When she had finally been able to clear the beasts from him his already torn and dirty attire had been completely wrecked beyond repair. His sleeves and pants had suffered the most and would need to be replaced. And his armor was in dire need of a blacksmith. But it was the boy's face which had made her eyes widen the most. Claws and teeth had ripped and torn into the flesh in any place they could find purchase, and he had the cuts and gouges to prove it. But as quickly as they had been formed they had healed right before her very eyes. And as he stood up he had the ridiculous notion that he felt just fine. Was he merely too much of a fool to even realize that he was injured? Or did his Aura truly bless him with such powerful endurance? If it had been her in that situation she would have been out of the fight already.

She saw that he tilted his head to speak back to her over his shoulder. "We're going to need to avoid that Alpha," he told her. "Follow my lead."

She wanted to protest. She wanted to say that she was the better fighter, and so he should be following her lead. But right now she knew that she could not take point. She lacked the Aura to bear the full brunt of the Grimm assault. And even if she did possess her full strength it would have been the wrong move anyway. He had a shield. And fighting recklessly is what got her into this mess in the first place.

"Okay," she said, reluctantly agreeing with his command.

Since when did he have such confidence? Why was he a total neophyte in their sparring sessions but a calm and collected field general here in the midst of battle? Winter's words once more echoed in her mind.

 _The Arc line is known for their massive Aura pools and keen warrior intellect._

Preposterous. Yes, the Aura could be explained. She accepted the fact that he had inherited the trait from his forebearers. Her own Semblance was a hereditary trait passed down the Schnee line for generations. But keen warrior intellect? What did that even mean? Being an excellent strategist could not be hereditary. Could it?

But before she could fully ponder the idea that she did not even know what his Semblance was, she saw that the time to move had come.

"Hit it and run!" he shouted as he readied his shield once more.

The first Beowolf leapt through the air with murderous intent before Jaune slammed his shield into its face. Less than a second later Weiss had stepped from out of his shadow to drive Myrtenaster home into its face before quickly pulling back.

Jaune was already on the move and she followed suit. He dove and rolled off to the right, keeping his arms close to body as he completed the motion. Weiss was right behind him, however she had chosen the cleaner route and used a small glyph to propel herself after him rather than rolling in the mud. Normally she was adept at fighting in her heels. But that was on flat surfaces. Things like concrete, tile and wood were no trouble. But on uneven ground where errant roots stuck up from the soil, where rocks, vines and other foliage were a hidden menace, she was not so confident in her abilities. Her heels were not suited for the action in this terrain. And the last thing she needed was to be bogged down in the mud and open to the Grimm attack.

The Alpha had been mid-air by the time they moved and it slammed into the ground where they once stood making a small crater where its bulk landed. It was a truly frightening sight up close. It stood nearly twice as tall as her, and one of its heavily muscled limbs probably weighed as much as she did. No wonder it had hit with such force when she had struck it with Myrtenaster. Her rapier had probably been little more than a minor irritant at the time. She was determined to change that.

The remaining two Beowolves changed directions and came at them once more. Two of the Grimm were normally nothing of significance to deal with. But Weiss had never before encountered an Alpha. And its mere presence on the field was making her rethink what her normal strategies would be. Where she would normally take the fight to the Grimm, here she knew that she had to be cautious. One wrong move could spell death for her. For both of them.

The dust chamber of Myrtenaster spun as she came to a decision. The Beowolves would come, and this time they would be ready. Plunging her rapier into the ground the dust went to work, and soon a large sheet of ice had formed in front of her and Jaune. The Grimm had not expected it, and even if they had the intelligence to know what had just happened there would be nothing they could do to stop it. Both creatures slipped and began to skin uncontrollably toward the two teens on the frozen ground below them.

And that meant that they were sitting ducks. Jaune realized this as well, and rather than readying his shield to take another hit he hefted Crocea Mors and thrust into the lead Beowolf as it got within striking distance. The howl which followed signified the ending of its existence and it quickly began fading away.

Weiss stepped forward to deal with the last foe, her blue-tinted blade plunging deep into its target. The beast took on an almost blue hue before its limbs locked up and grew still. Within seconds the once terrifying and lively creature was nothing more than a frozen statue, its formerly vibrant eyes now dull in death.

Jaune brought his sword down to shatter it sending pieces of ice scatting all around the forest floor.

She saw that he too was out of breath as he came to stand by her side. But whether it was from the same cause as her she did not know.

A single sharp laugh escaped with a breath. "Bet you aren't so upset that I know how to hide behind my shield now," he said offhandedly.

She frowned at the remark. "This is neither the time nor the place for jokes."

The lone remaining Grimm was proof enough of that. The Alpha had tried and failed to hit them only moments earlier. The two teens had chosen instead to delay that confrontation and kill the remaining Beowolves. But now they would be forced to face it. It was either that or run.

"Yeah," Jaune agreed as he watched the large Grimm stalk forward towards them. "Right."

Weiss' statement was only strengthened when the Alpha lunged once more. Both teens were forced to evade its claws once more, with Jaune diving to the right and Weiss powering herself to the left with her Semblance. She did not like to be using it so liberally with her Aura levels as depleted as they were. But she had no choice. One false step in her heels and she risked a sprained ankle at best and a mortal wound at worst.

The claw of the Alpha sunk into the mud where they had been standing only moments ago, and it turned its baleful eyes between the two teens as they regrouped once more.

Weiss did not take her eyes off of their opponent as she spoke. "So, strategist," she said as she readied Myrtenaster for another strike. "Any other great plans in that blonde head of yours?"

For tense moments he was silent as he watched the creature before them. "What other kind of dust do you have in that sword of yours?"

She wanted so badly to correct him and tell him that it was a multi-action dust rapier. That it was the most finely crafted weapon in all of Beacon and that he should have more respect for it rather than referring to it as "that sword". But as she had just told him. This was neither the time nor the place.

Weiss spared a glance down at the dust chamber of Myrtenaster. "I'm out of fire," she said with a touch of bitterness in her voice. "Ice is about half full. Wind, lightning, gravity and earth are all full."

He nodded. Whatever was going on in his mind was unknown to her. But she hoped that it was some sort of plan.

"Okay. We have to-" he started before circumstances interrupted his sentence. "Dodge!"

Another swipe from the monstrous creature forced them off-balance once more as they repeated the same actions they had made only seconds earlier. The Alpha was growing more bold in its attacks. Perhaps they could use that to their advantage.

The pair regrouped once again. "You were saying?" Weiss said sardonically.

Jaune snorted out a burst of air from his nose. "I was saying," he said with a hint of annoyance in his voice. "It's agile for its size. Too fast to outflank. And too strong to take head on."

Well wasn't that the most obvious statement of the century. She wanted to make a quip but held her tongue.

"Okay," she said expectedly. "Go on."

"So we need to throw it off balance somehow before we hit it," he continued. "Or just slow it down. I don't know a lot about dust. What do you have in there that's best for the job?"

Weiss thought about the question. Earth and lightning were useful forms of dust, just not for what Jaune was talking about. Ice had proven effective earlier in literally throwing the Beowolves off balance. It could also be used to freeze a portion of the Alpha. But with the chamber half empty she may only get one shot at it. And she would have to make it count.

Wind dust could also have potential. But she wasn't sure if the vortex that she could create would be powerful enough to ensnare the Alpha. Its size, strength and weight could potentially overpower the wind that was meant to slow it. And if they were to rely on that alone then the consequences could be fatal if it wound up not working as planned.

And that left gravity. Weiss had never experimented much with it. But it had its uses. Combined with a glyph they could potentially suspend the Alpha mid-air for a brief moment which would leave it completely exposed to attack. The question is, would they have enough to kill it in that opening?

Wind would be a last resort. That left ice and gravity. She decided to go with what she knew best.

"Ice," she said in response to his question. "We either freeze it or make it wipe out like the others."

He nodded. "Okay. That ice sheet worked before, let's try that again. How much time do you need?"

"A few seconds," she said as the chamber of Myrtenaster spun around to lock the ice cartridge into position. "I can't evade when I cast a glyph."

Jaune hefted his shield into position close to his torso and held Crocea Mors up in a more defensive posture. "Alright. Whenever you're ready."

As if on cue the Alpha charged once more. Before it could use its back legs to leap into the air Weiss once more planted the tip of Myrtenaster into the wet soil below. As before a thin sheet of ice formed and spread out in front of the two. But unlike with the smaller Beowolves, the Alpha's huge paws seemed to have no trouble gaining purchase on the slippery surface which it treaded.

Weiss' eyes widened in horror when she realized that there was no chance for Jaune to dodge this time. He had been banking on the fact that the Alpha would suffer the same fate as its lesser kin and thus was not prepared for what came next.

The meaty paw of the beast slammed into his shield. And while it took the brunt of the attack it still sent him tumbling on the ground several meters to the side.

"No!" Weiss yelled out. Anger flooded her body and mind as she realized that their strategy had failed.

He was slow to get up, but he did so. She had to buy time for him to recover. Otherwise they were both dead.

Using the last of her ice dust she once more covered the ground with the substance. But unlike before a pool did not spread in front of her to throw the Grimm off balance. Rather a thick line of crystals extended out from where she had stuck her rapier into the dirt, speeding its way to where the Alpha stood. Its hind legs were struck by the attack and it was held fast to the ground. For now.

Without even thinking of the potential consequences Weiss ran over to where Jaune was getting to his feet. She saw that his shield arm was hanging limply at his side.

Worry creased her face. And she didn't care whether or not she would get wrinkles, as her mother would sometimes say. "Jaune. Are you alright?"

A soft chuckle escaped his lips. "I've been better." He grimaced as he raised his left arm to bring his shield close to his body. "How about you?"

"I'm not the one who just took a direct hit from a Beowolf Alpha," she told him. "I'm fine."

"No, but you did earlier. And you're out of breath again."

Weiss hadn't even realized that she was breathing hard. And she had never expected him to notice either. She sighed as she looked over to where their foe stood. One foot was already free.

"I've been having to use my Semblance a lot," she said. "Combined with that big hit I took earlier it's been taking its toll on me. I'm not like you."

Jaune frowned. "What does that mean?"

She hated admitting weakness. Especially to those weaker than herself. But at the moment she simply didn't care about things like perception and status. "I don't have a lot of Aura left. We need to end this. Now."

He nodded. "You still have that gravity stuff?"

The _stuff_ in question was high quality Schnee brand gravity dust. And it was outrageously expensive. The little voice in the back of her head told her to correct his choice of words. But she knew that was her father speaking. And so she ignored it.

"Yes."

"Okay. Um," he started before looking back over to the Alpha. She followed his eyes and saw that things were about to get messy again. "Can you use it with your glyph thingies to lift it up?"

In theory. She had used dust in conjunction with her Semblance many times before. Just not with gravity dust. She wasn't sure to be honest.

"I think so," she said uneasily.

"Okay. Do that then. And we kill it while it's off the ground."

"Alright. I hope this works."

He laughed more fully this time. "And you think I don't? We're in this together."

That's right. They were in this together. For better or for worse. And it was all her fault.

The Alpha was on the move again heading on a direct path for the two teens. With no time to spare Weiss plunged Myrtenaster down and cast a purple-tinted glyph before her. It glowed as it spun around like a top on the forest floor. And when the Alpha stepped its first paw onto it the beast suddenly lost all of its forward momentum. Time seemed to stop as it slowly floated above the glyph, suspended in the air by the power of Weiss' Semblance and dust. That was when Jaune struck.

With a swift thrust he stabbed with all of his might. The keen edge of Crocea Mors sank into the torso of the Alpha and for a second the pair stood there locked in what looked to be the final moments of the beast's life. The rending claw of the Grimm changed that.

Again Jaune was sent tumbling on the ground before making hard contact with a human-sized rock stuck into the forest floor. For a fraction of a second what looked to be a bright sheet of light illuminated his body before vanishing as quickly as it had come. Not good. Not good at all.

Clenching Myrtenaster tightly in her hands Weiss spun the chamber around to select lightning dust. There was no time for self-preservation anymore. Not when Jaune had just sacrificed the last of his Aura. One more blow could be fatal for the boy.

Weiss used everything she had when she cast the glyph beneath her feet. Flying through the air she let out a primal scream that her tutors would ever dare to teach a lady such as herself during her lessons. But they weren't here. The socialites weren't here. Her father wasn't here. None of them mattered anymore. All that mattered was survival.

The pair of glowing red eyes that had been focused on Jaune turned to see the white-clad girl once more approaching with reckless abandon. The beast was too slow to even think about attacking. Like before Weiss was too fast for it. But this time she would not be content to just hit it. And she would not be using just her blade.

Lightning crackled around the tip of Myrtenaster as she aimed straight for the Alpha's menacing eye. And the blow struck straight and true. Weiss expelled all of the air from her lungs with a scream as she made contact with the beast, plunging her rapier into the eye socket and penetrating all the way through to pierce the back of the creature's skull.

Any thoughts of a counterattack by the Grimm ended as soon as she had struck. Its brain crackled and fried from the energy that the lightning dust produced. And even if she hadn't been using it she doubted that it would have been able to survive having its brain and skull obliterated by her sharp steel.

Weiss fell to the ground as the Grimm toppled over and began to dissipate. She was breathing more heavily now than she ever had. She was alive though. And had killed the savage beast. But she had not done so alone.

Not even caring about the dirt and mud which sullied her skirt she picked herself up and ran over to where Jaune lay. If he had looked bad before he looked even worse now.

A great gauge was had been torn in his now dirty, almost unrecognizable breastplate. His bare legs and arms were covered in cuts and abrasions which were very noticeably not being healed by his Aura. His face and hair were caked in mud. She did not know what other injuries may have been concealed underneath the filth.

She knelt down beside him as he slowly stirred. His eyes looked pained as he forced them open and rolled over onto his back. Placing a hand down on the ground he pushed himself up to sit back against the rock which he had become very familiar with less than a minute earlier.

"Jaune," Weiss said with genuine concern. "Are you okay?"

She mentally chastised herself for the stupid question. Of course he wasn't okay. He was hurt. Badly if she had to make a guess. But the question had just slipped out. It was just one of those things you were supposed to say in a situation like this. What was she supposed to do? Tell him that he's hurt? Because that was even more obvious.

He winced as he tried to sit up straighter. "My everything hurts," he said with closed eyes. "Is that normal?"

Weiss couldn't stop a soft smile from gracing her lips. "You're an idiot, you know that?"

"Hey, I resent that," he said with a smile of his own. He leaned his head back against the rock as he looked up to the forest canopy. "There are no idiot students. Only idiot teachers."

Her smile vanished in a heartbeat. Weiss looked away. But her attention was brought back to him when he said her name.

"Weiss," he said softly. "That was a joke."

She nodded wordlessly.

"Jokes are supposed to be funny. Or have I taken too many blows to the head to remember what funny is?"

"That right there is _not_ funny," she said sternly.

He closed his eyes again. "Okay," he said simply.

Maybe he was just too weak to be a nuisance the way he usually was. The stupid, annoying, irritating way he usually was. She wished he hadn't been reduced to this because of her. Because of her arrogance.

"So... is it time to leave now?" he asked.

It was. She pushed the thought from her mind which told her that they never should have come here in the first place. Because right now those negative feelings would not do either of them any good.

Weiss stood to her feet and looked around for any signs of danger. "Yes," she said before looking back down to him. "Can you walk?"

Jaune transformed his shield back into its sheath form before placing Crocea Mors back inside. With a grunt of effort he used both hands to push off against the rock. It took a moment for Weiss to sheathe her own sword and lend him a helping hand. One of his bloody arms wrapped itself around her shoulders as she helped to lift him to his feet. She didn't care how dirty her skirt and jacket got anymore. It was beyond ruined at this point.

He was heavy. That was the first thing she noticed. Of course she had always known he was bigger and taller than her. But the weight of his body against hers was entirely different than just seeing it. The arm which gripped her was surprisingly toned. Not overly muscular, however. He had definitely been putting in the required time with his strength training. Perhaps she had never noticed before because he always chose to conceal his body under baggy clothes.

She saw where the clothing had gone. The torn sleeves of his hoodie had bunched down to his wrists where the cuffs of the clothing were tighter than the fabric of the rest of the arm. It would have almost looked comical if he had not been in the shape he was in.

As the two walked Jaune looked down at himself and spoke for the first time in a few minutes. "I'm gonna need some new clothes."

That was something they had in common. She examined her own attire too. Her bare legs and skirt were covered in mud. A variety of small tears and holes were in her jacket. And whatever mud and blood which had been on Jaune's arm was now rubbing off onto the shoulders of her jacket.

"Yeah," she agreed. "Me too."

At that moment she made a decision. She would personally reimburse him for what he had lost today. This was her fault. Everything. In her mind she replayed key moments over and over again. And each time she found herself to blame.

The journey back to Beacon was a lonely one. And that was saying something when there was another person pressed against your side.

* * *

Weiss was late. And that wasn't normal for the girl.

Ruby paced back and forth in her team's dorm room. She pulled out her scroll for what must have been the hundredth time in the past half hour. Five minutes until classes began. Normally that would not be a problem for her. With her Semblance-powered speed Ruby would be able to make it down the halls and to her first class of the day in half that time. But she did not want to leave yet. Because Weiss had not returned.

Yang and Blake had already left around ten minutes ago. Ruby had told them that she would follow after them shortly and just wanted to wait for her partner to get back. Yang had cooed and told her how sweet it was that she was looking after Weiss like a little sister. Of course the praise wasn't genuine, and Ruby had lightly smacked the girl on the arm for teasing her like that. Yang merely laughed off what she called Ruby's "adorable" attempt at acting tough before heading to class. And so Ruby was left alone in the room with only her thoughts to keep her company.

While it was normal for Weiss to already be gone by the time she woke up due to the training sessions she did with Jaune, the heiress was usually back well before this time. The girl who put so much thought and effort into her appearance needed time to get ready. To apply her makeup. To dry and brush her long pale hair after taking a shower. Weiss would never be caught out in public without first taking a shower. Especially after the physical activity of training. The fact that she had not returned to their room to take care of all these necessities put Ruby on edge.

Part of her felt good that she knew so many tiny intricacies about her partner. It showed just how much the two had grown since meeting the day they had both arrived at Beacon. Over the past couple of weeks the two had spent more time together by choice rather than being forced to do so for class projects or team training exercises. And it had all started when Weiss inquired about the coffee. Ruby would need to make sure to thank her father once more for fulfilling that request.

Four minutes to class. Ruby sighed. She didn't know what was going on. Maybe Weiss' plans had changed. Maybe she hadn't gone out and trained, had already showered, and was already sitting in Dr. Oobleck's class at this very moment wondering where her clumsy partner was. If that was the case then Ruby would feel like a fool for worrying so much. She hoped that this would be the case. It would be one scenario where she would actually prefer to be a fool.

She made the decision to go and see if this was indeed the case. But before she made it to the door it opened on its own. What she saw on the other side shocked her.

Weiss Schnee was known for many things. Wealth. Fame. Martial skill. A sometimes poor attitude. A prim and proper appearance. In this case, however, that last one was thrown out the window.

The normally pristine attire of the heiress was torn and filthy as Ruby had never seen before. Not in any combat simulation or field work had Weiss ever come close to getting this dirty. Her legs and skirt were muddy. And her jacket... what had happened to her jacket? Was that blood? Grimm didn't bleed like that. Did that mean...

"Weiss!" Ruby gasped when she finally summoned the strength to speak. "What... what happened?"

The girl looked utterly dejected. Like someone told her that her family was no longer rich and famous. Like she would be forced to live in the gutter from this day forward. And truthfully her appearance did nothing to dispel the idea.

She frowned at the question before looking to the floor. "There was..." she started. A brief pause hung in the air as she avoided looking into Ruby's eyes. "An incident," she finally finished.

Well that told her nothing. Of course there was an incident. All that meant was that something happened. And you didn't need to be a master huntress to figure out that something had indeed happened to Weiss this morning.

"What was it?" Ruby asked, hoping for a more detailed explanation. She went over and sat down on Weiss' bottom bunk before patting the space beside her. "Come tell me what happened."

The heiress looked at the bed and then to herself. Finally she looked at Ruby as she spoke. "Ruby, I'm in no condition to sit down right now. I need a shower. I don't want to get my bed filthy."

Unacceptable. She had not come this far just to get shot down like this in her partner's time of need. And she would let Weiss know it.

But how it came out of her mouth shocked even Ruby. "Weiss Schnee! You will sit your butt down right now and tell me what's wrong!" she squeaked with all the intimidation of a kitchen mouse.

Ruby covered her mouth in surprise when she realized how loud and forceful the words had come out. It didn't help that her voice had cracked as if she were a teenage boy going through puberty.

Weiss gave her a wide-eyed stare before swallowing hard. She silently nodded before making her way over to her bed and sitting down next to Ruby.

She did so gingerly, as if trying her best not to spread the filth which covered her body onto her sheets. But no matter how careful she was it was a battle that was lost from the moment she sat down. But Ruby didn't care. Those sheets could be washed. And if they were to be ruined beyond cleaning they could be replaced. But her friend and partner's feelings and emotions were not so durable. And they were not replaceable.

Ruby repeated her question for what must have been the third time in the span of a minute. "Weiss, what happened?" she asked. "How did you get like this? Are you okay? Are you hurt?"

Okay, maybe she decided to add on a few extras there. But there was no length she would not go to in order to make sure Weiss as okay. She realized that she was now going into full "Yang mother mode" with her line of questioning. That annoying overprotectiveness and need to know exactly what was bothering Weiss was something which Ruby had experienced many times growing up with her older sister. She wondered if how she had felt all those years which Yang subjected her to that protectiveness was how Weiss was feeling right now.

"Ruby..." Weiss said. There was a twinge of sadness in her voice. A tone of defeat. "I messed up."

That was a first. Not the fact that she had messed up. Because clearly taking so long to realize that Ruby was the best friend she would ever possibly have or need was a monumental error. But to actually admit to making a mistake was something which Weiss was not known for doing.

But Ruby would not call her out on that small discrepancy. Instead she continued her questioning. "What do you mean?"

"I took Jaune out to the Emerald Forest to train," she explained. "And for a while things were okay. But..." Another pause. "But I messed up. And things got ugly."

Ruby saw Weiss look down to her clothes as if to emphasize the statement. Clearly things had gone wrong if she had wound up like this. Mud. Blood. Blood!

"Weiss, are you hurt?" Ruby asked as she grabbed her partner's arm and began examining her shoulders where the blood had stained her clothing. "Are you bleeding? Where is this blood from?"

"I'm fine," Weiss said before tugging her arm free from Ruby's grasp. "It's not my blood. It's Jaune's."

Ruby's blood went cold. She knew he was not the most skilled fighter. And if this was his blood... If Weiss looked so distraught... no. It couldn't be. Not to the very first friend she had made at Beacon.

"What happened to Jaune?" she asked, terrified of what answer she would be given. "He's okay, right?"

Weiss nodded. "He's banged up," she said softly. "But he's okay. The medical staff is checking him out right now down in the infirmary."

That was a relief. Ruby didn't know what she would do if anything truly horrible had happened to the boy. Because despite the fact that they were on different teams they were so close that they may as well have been on the same team. She recalled on initiation day thinking about how it wouldn't be bad to have him as a partner. He had been her second choice right after Yang.

"Oh. Well that's good, right?"

"He shouldn't have been down there in the first place," Weiss said bitterly. "I made him go. It's my fault."

Ruby frowned at that. She needed to hear the whole story. Surely Weiss had not physically dragged him out into the forest. The girl must have been exaggerating.

"He'll be missing today's classes," Weiss continued. She took out her scroll and checked the time. A heavy breath escaped her lips. "And we're late."

Weiss stood up but was stopped from going any further when Ruby grabbed her by the wrist. The heiress turned back to look at the source of interference.

"Ruby?" she asked.

"You're missing classes too," the younger girl said. "And so am I."

Weiss' eyes narrowed in confusion. "What are you talking about? We may be late but that doesn't mean we can't go."

"Look at yourself. Do you have any idea how long it'll take you to clean yourself up and get ready for class? At least a half hour."

Weiss placed her hands on her hips as her expression changed into an annoyed scowl. "I do not take that long."

"Do too!" Ruby insisted. It was childish but she didn't care.

"In any case we can at least make it to our other classes."

Ruby shook her head. "Nope."

The scowl only deepened. "What do you mean, 'nope'?"

"We're not going. We're skipping classes today."

Weiss looked at her as if Ruby had just told her that they were long lost sisters. Truthfully Ruby thought that would be awesome. Then she would have two super cool older sisters. But sadly that was not the case.

"I have never missed a day of school in my life," Weiss told her. "And I do not intend to start now."

"Nope," Ruby said again.

The annoyed expression returned. "Will you stop that?"

"Nope."

Weiss let out a frustrated growl. Ruby stood up and placed a hand on her partner's shoulder. "I can tell something's wrong. You need to talk about it. And I'm here for you. You're my partner. And you're my friend."

For long seconds Weiss said nothing. And that was better than immediately stating that the two of them were not friends. Only a couple of months earlier that would have been the case. But not anymore.

The heiress shifted uneasily. "I don't know..."

"No!" Ruby shouted, careful not to let her voice crack as it had earlier. "No room for discussion or negotiation."

Her partner seemed to be taken aback by the forcefulness of the words. Or maybe she was too drained both physically and mentally to put up a fight as she usually did. As if to confirm Ruby's suspicions she sat back down atop her bed.

"Okay," she relented. "I just need to take a shower first. Alright?"

Ruby nodded happily. She would take any victory she could get. No matter how badly the fight had been handicapped in her favor.

"And I want to go check on Jaune later too, okay?"

"Sure thing, partner," Ruby agreed.

Weiss stood again before heading to the room's bathroom.

Ruby was once more left alone in the main section of the team's room. She looked down at Weiss' filthy sheets. She would make sure to get those washed later. But for now she would be there for her partner. To listen to the words which seemed to have such unusual pain behind them.

Why did she blame herself? And just what had happened to her and Jaune out there? She did not know the answers to those questions. But she was determined to find out. Because helping out in a time of need is what friends did.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** So fighting and combat scenes are still something I'm new and kind of uncomfortable with. Hopefully it turned out okay. Truthfully it went way longer than I originally anticipated. There was supposed to be another scene or two that will probably get pushed back to the next chapter.

Thanks for reading. I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Questions? Comments? Concerns? Let me know.


	13. Chapter 13

**Author's Note:** So this may be getting tiring to read, but I cannot thank you all enough for the response you're giving me. Every new favorite, follow and review means so much. And this past week was the biggest one yet when it came to traffic for this story. So, as always, thank you. Truthfully I'm running out of different ways to say it, but I will continue to do so.

A minor warning: this chapter does contain tiny spoilers for Volume 4. Nothing huge, but it is new information only revealed over the past few weeks. So if you're not caught up with episodes 1 and 2 yet, proceed at your own risk.

* * *

 _Dear Winter,_

 _I write to you today much earlier in the day than I normally would. Truth be told I should not even be in the position I am right now, but my partner and team leader Ruby has convinced me to skip classes. The thought would normally be an unthinkable one. Even now as I write this I imagine a look of disapproval on your face. However as I reflect upon the events of the morning I cannot help but feel that I need time to collect my thoughts and ponder future activities._

 _This morning in lieu of my regular training exercises with Jaune Arc I instead opted to take him to the Emerald Forest for more practical training. I felt this to be a good idea as he managed to impress me even before our session had begun. However as I told him-_

"Weiss!" she heard from the other side of the room. "What's taking so long?"

Weiss set her pen down atop her desk and looked behind her. "Ruby, please," she said sternly. "I'm in the middle of something."

The younger girl frowned before she went to sit down on their bunk bed. She sat there for a few moments before she began to gently bounce up and down on the mattress causing a soft creaking noise to emit from the springs.

Weiss did her best to ignore the sound as she returned to her letter.

 _-reading about a technique and applying it in the field are two entirely different things._

 _I will not bore you with the details of the morning's events, but to say that things wound up going poorly would be an understatement. We encountered a pack of Beowolves and for a while things seemed to be going okay. Once the Alpha entered the fray, however, things went south. The two of us barely escaped with our lives, and Jaune wound up injured. I have not been able to visit him in the infirmary yet, as this took place merely an hour before writing this letter. However the medical staff did assure me that he would make a full recovery._

 _I messed up, Winter. I thought that I would be able to handle things as I always have. I thought I was strong enough to succeed. I thought I was strong enough to teach another to succeed as well.-_

"Are you done yet?" the high-pitched voice of her partner interrupted once more.

Weiss took a deep breath and clenched the pen tighter in her hand. "No, Ruby. I am trying to write a letter. Something which takes time because it is not as cold and impersonal as a scroll message."

Ruby hopped off of the bed and all but bounced over to where Weiss sat now. "Oh, who are you writing to?"

Weiss frowned as the girl stood nearby looking over her shoulder. "My sister."

She gasped. "You have a sister? So do I!" The energetic girl paused for a moment as she giggled softly. "You already knew that though. Duh! She's on our team. Yang. Not Blake. But you totally knew that too. I mean could you imagine if Blake and I were related? We're nothing alike!"

If only Ruby were more like Blake. Quiet, reserved, calm Blake. Over the past couple of months Weiss had grown to like dark-haired girl. It could be because she was the only other sane person on her team. Compared to both Ruby and Yang, Blake was an absolutely perfect teammate who gave Weiss nothing to complain about.

The chattering little girl would be the death of her, Weiss decided. Not Grimm. Not the White Fang. Not mandatory landing strategies. But Ruby Rose. How was it that someone so small could talk so much? Her thoughts then drifted to the smallest girl on Team JNPR. While they were only acquaintances she had spent enough time with the other team to know how much worse Nora was than Ruby. How did the rest of JNPR put up with it?

Weiss put her free hand up in an attempt to pause her partner's babbling. Thankfully it worked and Ruby shut her mouth. "Ruby?" she asked.

"Yeah?"

"Yes. I have a sister. Please stop."

Ruby took a step backwards. Her head tilted down to try and conceal the look of embarrassment on her face.

A wave of guilt instantly flooded Weiss when she saw her partner's expression. She imagined this is what it would be like to find a stray puppy on the side of the road and end up keeping it only because you were unable to disappoint those innocent, affectionate eyes it had. This was all Yang's fault. Yang was the one who filled her head with all these ideas of how great Ruby was and how much it would mean to the girl if they became friends. Yang had been the first person who had ever drawn her feelings out in the open the way they had been. Weiss hated feeling vulnerable. Life was so much easier when you went through it alone.

Weiss closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Her expression softened when she spoke next. "What would you like to know about her?"

The girl beamed with delight at being encouraged to ask more about her partner's sister. "What's her name? Is she older or younger than you? I've always wanted a little sister. She'd be like me!" One Ruby existing in Remnant was enough for Weiss. The thought of two Ruby's running around would be the end of the world. "And I'd be like Yang! And Yang would be like... like... Super Yang!"

Big. Blonde. Loudmouth. Yang. Her fault. Entirely her fault. Become friends with Ruby, she said. Give her a chance, she said. Her insane babbling is endearing, she said.

"Her name is Winter," she replied. "She's my older sister. However, I do have a younger brother. Whitley."

Ruby practically squealed with joy. "A little brother! If I had one growing up I'd dress him up as a girl and make him play with my action figures with me!"

The thought of Whitley in drag entered Weiss' mind. A tiny smirk formed on her lips just entertaining the idea. Her prim and proper little brother would be aghast if he knew that she was actually having this discussion right now. And her father... he would never tolerate such foolishness.

Ruby must have caught the smile by what she said next. "Weiss... you never actually did that to your brother, did you?"

She shook her head. "No. Never. Even if I had come up with such an idea our father never would have allowed it."

"Oh. You know I don't really know much about your family. Isn't your dad like... a billionaire or something?"

Probably. Weiss didn't know the exact numbers when it came to her family's wealth. But as the chairman of the world's largest dust producer and distributor she knew that he had to be one of the wealthiest men in the world.

"Yes," she confirmed.

If Ruby was impressed with that knowledge she didn't show it. Maybe she really was different from others. Maybe Ruby didn't care about her wealth and fame. That would be a welcome change.

"So what's he like?" Ruby asked.

Weiss turned her gaze to the window. "There's a reason I don't talk about him."

Out of the corner of her eye she saw how Ruby shifted uncomfortably. "Oh. Are things really that-"

"Yes," Weiss answered sharply without letting the girl even finish her question.

Ruby nodded in understanding. But Weiss knew she didn't truly understand. The girl was merely trying to convey a form of empathy.

"Well... if you ever want to talk about it I'm here for you. As both a team leader and a friend."

Big stupid blonde Yang's words echoed in her mind. _A best friend. A confidant. Someone who is loyal and who will never betray you. Someone who would go to the ends of Remnant for you. A partner who you could count on to always be there for you, no matter what._

It had been a list of everything she would gain if she would only open up. If she would only let the girl who was before her now into her life.

Weiss swallowed hard as she remembered the words. She nodded her head as she looked into Ruby's eyes. "Thank you. I'll keep that in mind."

Ruby's reaction was tame in comparison to her normal personality. She merely smiled in response to Weiss' words.

"Now..." Weiss said as she gripped her pen once more. "I would like to finish this letter to Winter. Once I'm done we can leave."

"Where are we going?"

"Like I said before," Weiss said with a frown. She looked back down at the piece of paper where the name was written on it. "I'd like to check on Jaune."

Her partner moved back to their set of beds before sitting down on the bottom bunk again. "Okay. Just let me know when you're ready."

"I will."

Weiss focused her attention on her task once more. It took her a few moments to collect her thoughts and get back into the paragraph she had left uncompleted.

 _-However I don't know if I have what it takes anymore. I acted recklessly. I acted foolishly. How can I be certain that I will not do so again? And what if we aren't so lucky next time?_

 _This may not be my finest letter, and perhaps it would have been better to have waited to write to you after today's experience. However I feel it is best to pen my thoughts and emotions in their natural and unaltered state in order to convey my true feelings. There is no tactful word choice here to mask my intent. I suppose that makes me a poor excuse for a Schnee, doesn't it? Even as I wrote those words I smiled. What would father think of me right now, I wonder?_

 _Concerning Jaune on a less morbid note, you were correct in your assumption that he was privately tutored. He told me that his own father taught him some of what he knew. However I was surprised to learn that he attended a combat school in Vale called Siren Academy. I have not heard of this school, but perhaps with your worldly knowledge you are familiar with it. Is there a reason as to why your intelligence people's findings might have excluded this detail?_

 _In your last letter you said that we live in a dangerous world, and today has merely emphasized this point for me. So just as you have told me, please take care of yourself out there._

 _Love,_

 _Weiss_

* * *

Ruby fell back atop Weiss' bed. It was easier than climbing up to her own to wait for her partner to finish her letter.

It amazed her just how open Weiss had been. She has an older sister and a younger brother. That was a huge amount of new information to process compared to what she knew about her partner. And that spoke volumes of just how much she didn't know. It spoke of just how distant Weiss had been up until today. It was a shame that such progress had to come at such a high price.

Jaune was strong though. Well... not physically strong. But he had heart. Grit. Determination. And those were things that couldn't be trained or taught. He would pull through. Weiss had said as much. And Ruby did not ever know the girl to tell a lie. Yes she could be inconsiderate. Mean. Brutally honest. That last one was the exact opposite of a liar. No, Weiss wouldn't lie about Jaune's condition. And that put her mind at ease.

She wondered how long letter writing took. For her all she needed was to pull out her scroll and send a quick message to her father back in Patch, or wherever he may be while away on a mission. Fast. Easy. Efficient. There was no way she would rather do things. And it had nothing to do with the fact that she herself was fast.

The underside of her own bed was the only thing her eyes could see as she lay on the bed with her legs dangling off the side and feet planted on the floor. Ruby stretched her arms out at her sides as far as they would go. A satisfying pop sounded from both elbow joints. She suddenly hoped she wasn't lying on the muddy part of the bed. She sat up slightly and looked over to where Weiss had once been sitting. Thankfully the stain was contained to that one section. It would still be enough for the heiress to have them washed promptly. Ruby didn't so much mind a little bit of dirt. She and Yang had spent plenty of nights out camping both inside and out of a tent back in Patch. Dirt was her friend. It was part of what separated her from most stereotypical girls.

Finally she heard Weiss set her pen down on the desk. The sound prompted Ruby to sit up slightly. She was met with the sight of the pale girl looking down at the piece of paper for long moments reading back what she had just written. A few seconds later she held the letter down firmly and blew on the drying ink.

The heiress turned to look at Ruby. "Okay, Ruby. I'm finished."

Leaning back onto the bed and lifting her legs up into the air, Ruby then threw them forward for momentum as she sprang to her feet. "Alright!" she said enthusiastically.

She saw Weiss roll her eyes as she began to fold the paper into three sections before slipping it into an envelope. There was already a name and address on the front of it.

"So... you're done then," Ruby confirmed.

"Correct," Weiss agreed as she delicately licked the envelope before sealing it.

"Wanna... talk? Or something?"

Ruby was not about to let Weiss forget that she had agreed to speak with her about what had transpired in the Emerald Forest after taking a shower. What Weiss had failed to mention was that there would be a letter after the shower. And Ruby was not about to be denied by yet another distraction. What would it be next? 'Ruby, I have to straighten that picture frame for the millionth time.' Or 'Ruby, my skin won't exactly exfoliate itself'. Truth be told Ruby didn't even know what exfoliating was. She had just heard Yang mention it before. But the bottom line was that nothing would stand in the way of her bonding with her partner!

Weiss stood from her seat and headed for the door. "Sure."

She gave the heiress a confused expression but followed after her anyway. "Uh, Weiss? We're leaving already? What about talking about stuff?"

"We can talk on the way there," Weiss said as she opened the door. She stepped out into the hall and motioned Ruby to follow.

"Oh. Uh. Kay."

Ruby followed after her. Truth be told she felt a little bit underdressed. Weiss wore an immaculate white skirt and jacket combination with the only variance in color being the black hem of the skirt's bottom and the ice-blue Schnee family crest on her back. White, thigh-high boots completed the outfit. Ruby wondered just how the girl could even move in high heels, much less fight in them.

Meanwhile she herself merely wore her school uniform. She had been planning on attending class after all. It was only a last minute decision which had changed that. But it was the right idea. She was the leader of Team RWBY. And one of her teammates was in trouble. Even if she didn't want to admit it.

"So..." Ruby began. She was unsure how exactly one was supposed to go about doing this. It had seemed so much easier back when Weiss had walked through the door covered in filth and with that solemn expression on her face. But now the older girl who strode side by side with her was the epitome of confidence and grace. "Um, you were saying some stuff about the forest. And Jaune."

She heard Weiss sigh loudly. "Yes, Ruby. Some stuff did indeed happen."

"What kind of stuff?"

There was a long pause as the two continued down the hall. But finally Weiss spoke. "I decided to take Jaune to the Emerald Forest for training. I thought that he... we, would be able to handle it. He had been improving in our sessions. To the point where even I was surprised by what he had learned."

It was exactly what Ruby had been thinking about earlier. Jaune wasn't strong in terms of physical strength. But his resolve seemed to be immense. And what Weiss had said merely reinforced that idea.

"He didn't want to go, though," she continued. "He wondered if it was a good idea. I told him it was. I convinced him to do something that his first instinct told him was wrong."

That explained a lot. It explained what Weiss had told her earlier. About how she had messed up.

Ruby understood now. "That's why you said it was your fault."

Weiss nodded. "I thought I was a good teacher. I thought that because _I_ had been the one to train him and was accompanying him to the forest that we would succeed. That nothing would go wrong. I thought I was invincible."

"Nobody's perfect, Weiss," Ruby said softly. She was doing her best to comfort her friend. "Everyone messes up sometimes. Even when their intentions are good."

If the atmosphere wasn't so serious she would have given herself the biggest pat on the back she could muster. That was some seriously mature leader advice she had just dished out to her partner.

"No," Weiss replied darkly. "I must be perfect."

"Huh?"

"I _must_ be perfect," she repeated. "If that was a battlefield I would be dead. _We_ would be dead."

Ruby didn't know why the mood had changed so drastically and suddenly. When she looked over to Weiss she saw her partner looking down to the ground with dim, sullen eyes. They looked nothing like the bright and vibrant orbs the girl usually had.

"Weiss?" she questioned worriedly.

A moment later she saw the girl shake her head before looking back up. She looked back at Ruby with a tiny smile on her face. "Nothing," she said quietly. "I'm fine. Don't worry about it."

It was the most unconvincing smile that Ruby had ever seen. But she would not press the issue. She didn't need to push the girl on another issue that she most likely did not want to discuss. For now this morning's events were enough. The smile could wait for another day.

Ruby nodded at her friend's explanation. "So... what's next then?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well... you messed up. So what? What are you gonna do about it?"

She saw Weiss look down once more. As more seconds of silence passed Ruby could only assume that the girl was trying to work out that very same question herself.

"I don't know," Weiss admitted. "I think I'm going to wait a few days."

"Well you know what I think?"

That look appeared on Weiss' face that Ruby had grown to know so well. The one which was a moment away from making some sort of snarky or sarcastic comment. But as quickly as it had come it seemed to vanish.

Instead Weiss asked a question of her own. "What's that?"

"I think you need to get back in there," Ruby said pointing her finger to some imaginary target or location. "Or out there. Wherever you wanna go! You gotta say, 'Hey, stupid Grimm! You're not gonna change who I am or what I do! Why don't you, uh, go and pick on someone your own size!'."

Ruby saw a small smile curl on the heiress' lips. A genuine one this time. Improvement! "That was almost inspirational until the last part ruined it."

She had smiled. And smiles equaled success. At least they were in her experience. Just like a warm glass of whole milk and her favorite video game made her feel better when she was sick, one of Yang's jokes always seemed to cheer her up when she was feeling down. No matter how bad the joke was. Which they frequently were.

They pushed through the doors of the infirmary wing of the academy. A school which taught budding warriors how to fight vicious monsters made sure to have a state of the art medical facility. The future defenders of the world had the finest care available. And they often needed it. Injuries during practice and field work were common despite the students possessing Aura. Jaune and Weiss' mishap this morning was just the latest example of this fact.

Ruby followed Weiss who she knew had been here earlier. The girl seemed to know her way around the place. She could only assume that she had physically dropped Jaune off with the staff before returning to their dorm. Weiss had bypassed the front desk entirely and was making her way down the long halls making right and left turns seemingly at random. But she followed anyway with the full confidence that they would reach their destination soon.

In time she and Weiss approached a small staff substation where a pair of nurses were seated behind a desk. Perhaps this particular desk monitored all traffic and guests for this portion of the infirmary. As Weiss stepped up to the desk one of the woman behind it looked up.

"May I help you?" she asked.

"Yes," Weiss said in that calm and cool tone of hers. Professional would be the word to describe it if Ruby was asked to. "I'm here to see a patient named Jaune Arc."

Fingers danced on the holographic keyboard as the nurse looked at the terminal in front of her. A few seconds later she looked back up at the student. "May I have your names?"

"Weiss Schnee."

Ruby stood there silently for a few moments before an elbow lightly jabbed her in the side. "Oh!" she said suddenly. "I thought you were gonna say my name for me," she told Weiss. She then turned to look at the older woman. "My name is Ruby. Ruby Rose."

Seemingly unaffected by the little display the woman nodded after a few more strokes of the keyboard. "Alright. You're both checked in. Mr. Arc is in room 204. Take the hall on your left."

"Thank you," Weiss said with a polite nod of her head.

Ruby attempted to imitate her friend's action but wound up rapidly bobbing her head a few times. "Yeah thanks."

Without another word the pair set off down the hall to their destination.

Room 188. 190. 192. All of the rooms on the left side of the hall were even numbers. And that meant that Jaune's was coming up soon.

Ruby's tiny legs sped up to place her beside Weiss rather than following behind her. "So... you think he's okay?"

"I'm sure he is," Weiss said. "I just need to know."

Ruby realized that it was a telltale sign of guilt. It wasn't enough to just be told that the boy would recover. Weiss had to see it with her own eyes. She had to confirm that Jaune was doing okay. Only then would she be able to start down the road of forgiving herself.

The fact that Weiss was doubting herself was shocking to Ruby. She didn't know what her next move would be concerning training Jaune. It was a side of the girl that she had never before seen. Then again up until recently Weiss had made every effort to not share anything about herself. Even with her own partner. Who knew what secrets and personality traits were hidden underneath the cold, protective exterior of Weiss Schnee. Considering that they had known one another for more than two months and Ruby had just only today found out that Weiss had two siblings, she assumed there was much more to the girl than she could imagine.

When they reached room 204 Ruby grabbed the door's handle and pushed it open. Weiss looked at her in shock.

"Ruby!" she hissed loudly. "You're supposed to knock!"

But by that time Ruby was already stepping inside. She briefly wondered if she should exit, close the door and do as Weiss said. But when the thought entered her mind she was already standing inside. "Uh... oops?"

Weiss let out an exasperated sign before stepping inside with her.

They were greeted by the sight of a staff member standing outside of a tall curtain which presumably concealed the hospital bed where Jaune lay. A voice was coming from inside of the curtain and it was not Jaune's. Another staff member, Ruby assumed.

The woman on the outside had been writing some notes down on a large scroll-like pad before turning to greet the source of the new sound in the room. The stylus in her fingers ceased its movement as she looked at the pair of girls. "I'm sorry, girls. But you need to leave."

"What?" Ruby blurted out. She feared the worst when she heard those unexpected words. "Why? Is he okay?"

"He's fine," the woman said. "Mr. Arc is undergoing routine testing. And he is entitled to his privacy," she said motioning to his dirty, ruined clothes sitting on a rack near the door.

The fact that he was likely clad in only a thin hospital gown made Ruby's cheeks flush red. Or maybe even more exposed. He was behind a curtain after all. And what she couldn't see made her imagination run wild. She nodded vigorously in understanding. And embarrassment.

"You may return in a couple of hours."

"We understand," Weiss said, stepping in for the suddenly mute Ruby. "Thank you."

The two turned to leave as quickly as they had entered. By the time they were back out in the hall Ruby's face felt warm. By the looks of it her partner did not seem to be having the same reaction.

However Weiss had not left empty-handed.

"Weiss, what's that?"

The heiress held in her hands the ripped black hoodie which Jaune so frequently wore underneath his breastplate. Ruby could only see the back of it as Weiss held it up before her. Those scrutinizing blue eyes of hers stared at its front.

"This wasn't thrown out," she said. "But his pants were."

"Huh?" Ruby asked.

"The rack in his room," Weiss explained. "It had this. It had his armor and sword. But his blue jeans were not there."

"...Kay?"

She saw how Weiss folded it with all the skill which a professional maid would possess before tucking it underneath her arm. "Never mind," she said.

Ruby didn't understand. But before she could continue her line of one-syllable questioning Weiss had started down the hall once again.

It was almost 10:30 AM now. The school day had been underway for some time now. It felt a little bit exhilarating to not be in class right now. Ruby felt like she was a rebel. Like she was too cool for school. Like maybe she should go and take Yang's motorcycle out for a joyride just because she could.

Suddenly Ruby's blood ran cold. Oh dear. Yang was going to kill her when she realized that her sister was skipping class. The blonde had to have already figured it out by now.

She pulled out her scroll for the first time in what felt like forever. The screen flickered to life and she saw the long list of text messages from her sister.

 _Ruby where are you? Class is about to start._

 _Oobleck just took attendance and you're marked as absent. Are you coming?_

 _Answer me. Are you okay?_

 _Seriously this isn't funny. Where are you?_

 _Well you just missed the first class of the day. You'd better show up to Port's._

But it was the last message which sent shivers down the girl's spine.

 _RUBY IF I FIND OUT YOU'VE BEEN IGNORING ME THIS WHOLE TIME I'M GOING TO HURT YOU SO BADLY THAT EVEN THE GRIMM WILL FEEL SORRY FOR YOU!_

She closed the scroll and shoved it back into her pocket. Just ignore the messages. Ignorance is bliss. Yang couldn't hurt her right now. And maybe she never would. Ruby pondered the ramifications of running away from Beacon this very moment and joining a tribe of nomads outside the kingdom. That could be nice. Just her and Crescent Rose living the life of a vagabond traveling from place to place with no particular destination in mind. Helping those in need and asking for nothing in return. Just like the heroes in all of her favorite stories. The idea was an appealing one for more reasons than simply avoiding Yang's wrath.

She was brought back to reality when Weiss spoke. "So, Ruby. What else do we have planned for our day of not attending class?"

That was a good question. Her plan had been a relatively simple one. Not to mention short-sighted. Step one was to get Weiss to talk. Step two was to visit Jaune. And that had not taken long at all. There was no deep, two hour conversation about all of Weiss' hopes and dreams like she had imagined it would be.

Ruby saw how her partner looked expectantly at her with those piercing icy eyes of hers. If she hadn't grown so used to it already it would have been unnerving. Clearly Weiss was expecting her to have some sort of plan. Of course she expected that. Because Weiss Schnee always had a plan. She had reasons for doing everything that she did. Like training Jaune.

Except that Ruby had no idea why she was training Jaune.

By the look of the pale girl's gaze was expecting an answer rather than another question. Ruby had to think and think fast. They were a couple of teenage girls with the entire day to themselves. A day with no classes or teachers to stand in the way. What did girls like to do? Ruby would readily admit that she was never the girliest of girls in Vale. Or all of Remnant for that matter. As her brain sought out an answer to her partner's question she wound up falling back on something that she knew to be true. Because it was on every stupid sitcom she had ever seen on TV.

"Uh, shopping!" she said hastily. Yes! That was something that girls did together.

Weiss' eyes narrowed on her the moment the word came out of her mouth. "Excuse me?"

"Yes. We're going to Vale. Shopping. Just you and me. A girl's day out."

"Ruby, that sounds ridiculous," Weiss told her. "We can't just leave school grounds to go on a personal trip to Vale."

"Why not? I mean we're already not going to classes." The confidence in her tone grew with each word she said. Now she was even starting to believe in what she was saying herself. "Might as well go all out and make a fun day out of it, right?"

It would also put some serious distance between herself and a certain hotheaded blonde girl who at this very moment could be out searching for her truant sister.

"You are an absolutely terrible influence," Weiss commented. "First convincing me to skip school, and now go on an impromptu shopping trip?"

Ruby wasn't sure if she should be insulted by being called a terrible influence or be overtaken by glee with her partner saying that she was being influenced in the first place. In the end she decided to go with the latter. Because Ruby was ever the optimist.

"Well what else are we going to do? _Study?_ " Ruby asked incredulously. The fact that Weiss narrowed her eyes in response to that last word told Ruby that studying at this moment was a very viable option for the white-haired girl. "I-I mean," she stuttered as she continued. "The nurse said to come back in a couple of hours, right? Jaune is doing all those tests and getting treatment and stuff. That gives us plenty of time to go out to Vale and have some fun."

She saw Weiss roll her eyes this time. "You don't go shopping very often, do you?"

"What? What are you talking about?" Ruby fidgeted with her uniform uncomfortably at the question. "Just because Patch doesn't exactly have big fancy malls and stuff doesn't mean I don't know how these things work. I'll have you know that I've watched plenty of TV." She spoke that last sentence a bit more proudly as she probably should have.

The resulting hand slapping against forehead told Ruby all she needed to know about what Weiss thought of her answer.

Ruby continued trying her best to sound confident in her reasoning. "Besides, this is way better than moping around our room all day right? We can go out, clear our heads, and come back in time to check on Jaune. It's win-win, right?"

She saw Weiss look to the floor. "It just doesn't feel right. I shouldn't be having fun while he's in there because of me." Weiss' eyes shifted to focus on the hoodie she carried in one of her arms.

The feeling of guilt was still strong in her. Even though she knew he was doing alright. What could Ruby even say? How did you ease someone's mind when they just wouldn't forgive themselves?

"Jaune's a nice guy," she said. "Trust me! He wouldn't want you to be feeling this way. He would understand and want you to have fun. And I think he knows that you were only trying to help him out with the whole training thing this morning. What could he possibly be upset about?"

For a brief moment Weiss had appeared to shake her head a fraction of an inch as she did her best to avert her gaze from Ruby. She would look at the floor, the walls, the ceiling. Anywhere but her partner.

Ruby's tone softened. "He's in good hands, Weiss. Beating yourself up over this won't help anyone. Not him and especially not yourself."

Score another point for top quality leader advice. Ruby felt that she would need to start writing some of these things down if she was going to make a habit of it. Maybe she would petition Ozpin to let her teach her own class. Leadership 101 with Professor Ruby Rose. The introduction to the class would be the story of how she melted a heart of ice and turned an enemy into a friend. She could almost imagine the awe-struck faces of her students as she regaled them with the tale.

She saw Weiss look to the hoodie again. "Alright. Let's go."

Weiss' surrender came easier than she had expected. Was she really _that_ good? "Really?"

"Yes. Now hurry up and get changed before I change my mind."

Ruby looked down to her clothes. "Huh? Why?"

"Because you're still in your school uniform," Weiss explained.

"So?"

Weiss sighed loudly as she shook her head in disbelief. "So, if you're going to skip class and go to the city at least look like you aren't supposed to be in school while doing so."

That made sense. Weiss was so wise. That was why they made such a good team. The best leader at Beacon combined with the smart and worldly heiress were an unstoppable pair both on and off the battlefield.

"Okay, I will!" Ruby sped off toward the dormitory leaving Weiss behind and shouting after her.

"Wait! Ruby!"

Those were the last words the tiny girl heard as her Semblance-powered running drove her closer to her room. There she would get dressed into street clothes before meeting up with Weiss once more. After that Vale was just a simple airship trip away.

* * *

Jaune lay back in his bed staring at the ceiling. He was bored. Why was he even here? He felt fine. Well... finer than before. His body was still sore. But the many cuts and scrapes that had covered his body had mostly healed. One of the many bonuses of Aura. As he thought more about it he realized just how close he had actually come to death.

While Aura was a science to some Jaune was not among their number. To him it was a mysterious part of him that had only recently been unlocked. But what he did understand was that when it was expended that its bearer was exposed to harm. Or worse. And he had almost been a victim of the worse part.

And then to add insult to injury he had lost his favorite hoodie. Well not exactly lost. He still had it. When he had been stripped of his clothing for his stay in Beacon's infirmary he had made it clear that while the ruined blue jeans could go, the torn hoodie had to stay. Ruined sleeves and all. It held enormous sentimental value to him. One did not go through the necessary fifty boxes of Pumpkin Pete's Marshmallow Flakes easily in order to obtain the box tops for his prized article of clothing. And now it was ruined. He would have to give it some sort of official burial worthy of its importance.

He wanted to laugh at the thought. Here he was lucky to be alive and he was mourning the loss of a shirt with a picture of a cartoon bunny's face on it. His life really was a mess. No wonder he was where he was if this was how he prioritized what was important in his life. Perhaps if he had spent those months actually training rather than stuffing his face with delicious, unhealthy cereal than he would be farther along than he was now.

Most of him wanted to leave this place. That was until he remembered the fact that it would mean having to go to school. Much better to be here than the alternative, he had decided. No matter how boring it was. He just wished there was a better source of entertainment than daytime TV from the small screen which hung from the ceiling. How could people actually watch this garbage? Throw the people on TV out into a Grimm-infested forest and all of their petty, immature problems would disappear in a heartbeat. Now that was something he would watch. That would show them.

Wait, was this him being vindictive because of the situation he was currently in or because he genuinely hated the people he was watching?

Jaune shook his head of the thought. Maybe more than just Weiss' training was rubbing off on him. Perhaps if he hung out with her for another few months he would begin using fancy words the way she did. Like "whom". And "preposterous." He always wanted an excuse to use words like those.

Speaking of Weiss he could have sworn that he had heard her and Ruby in his room earlier while he was undergoing some of his routine tests. But before they had had a chance to do or say much of anything they had been shooed away by one of the nurses. He wished that someone would come in now and alleviate his boredom. Even if it was Weiss. He wanted to know how she was doing after all of this. Was she physically hurt as he was? How was she doing emotionally? The fact that she had come to check on him spoke volumes of how much closer they had gotten since beginning their training. At least it made sense in his mind.

The door slammed open and without a curtain to conceal it he saw who stepped through this time. A tiny ball of redheaded energy burst forward with impossible speed to stand next to his bed.

"Oh Captain!" Nora wailed dramatically. "My Captain! We've only just heard the news! Are you alright? Are you hurt? Are you cold? Are you hungry?"

Jaune winced as she girl squeezed his hand tightly in her own. He looked down to see four fingers being smashed together in the steely grip of his teammate. He began to wiggle it around to try and shake her loose, but Nora would not be denied.

"I'm fine," he said as he continued to shake his arm. She was not getting the hint. "And I'd be better if my hand was not being crushed."

Nora looked down to what Jaune was referring to before releasing her grip. She placed her hands behind her back innocently and laughed lightly. "Whoops. Sorry, Jaune."

He smiled as he flexed the fingers trying to get the blood circulating again. "It's alright. And I'm fine, thank you."

"But are you hungry?" she asked again.

Truth be told he was. After only eating a very light breakfast of beef jerky which was quickly confiscated by Weiss he only now realized just how hungry he was. Leave it to Nora to turn all of his thoughts to food.

"Actually I am," he admitted. "I'd even take hospital food right now."

Nora grabbed her partner by the shoulders. "This is bad, Ren!" she said as she started shaking him. "This is really bad!"

The dark-haired boy placed a hand on one of Nora's before lifting it off of him and letting it drop down to her side. All the while his emotionless face remained unchanged. "What is?"

"The moment _hospital_ food becomes appealing means something is terribly wrong," she explained.

The final voice of Team JNPR was the next to speak. "Perhaps you're blowing this a bit out of proportion?" Pyrrha asked.

Nora spun on her toes to face the much taller redhead. "I never exaggerate when it comes to food," she whispered darkly. As if she was recalling some tragic pancake disaster which had scarred her for life.

Pyrrha gave her an odd look before she spoke. "Oh... kay."

Satisfied with her teammate's acknowledgment of the situation Nora's face erupted into a wide grin before she hopped back around to face Ren. "This requires immediate resolution."

Ren scratched the back of his head. "How so?"

"We're going to the cafeteria and buying him some real food!" she declared as she extended her arm up high like a some sort of conquering hero. "And failing that we'll go to a vending machine!"

"I think it would have sounded much better without the second part," Ren said.

Nora's face lost a bit of its luster at Ren's words. "Yeah... some people tell me I need to stop talking so much. I guess that's what they mean by it."

Ren raised a finger like he was about to make a comment on her conclusion before he closed his eyes and sighed. A second later his hand lowered back to his side. Jaune could not help but be amused by the relationship the two shared.

Before he could say anything at all, however, Nora grabbed Ren by the arm and began dragging him toward the door. "Come on, Ren. Our leader can't exactly feed himself stuck in a hospital bed."

The last words which Jaune heard the other boy say before he had made it through the doorway caused his eyes to widen with concern. "Please tell me you don't actually plan on physically feeding him."

After the door shut there was silence in the room once more. Jaune looked at Pyrrha and she looked back at him. As seconds passed the atmosphere grew more uncomfortable.

"So..." Pyrrha said, finally breaking the silence.

"Yeah..." he replied. What a wonderful conversation it was.

"We don't know exactly what happened to you," she continued. "Only that you had been injured in the Emerald Forest. And that's why you weren't in class."

"Oh, right. It was part of my training exercise thing."

"With Weiss?"

He nodded. "Yeah. Things went bad. We found a pack of Beowolves. They messed us up." He paused for a moment to amend that statement. "Or messed me up at least. Weiss didn't have much of a problem with them. But then the Alpha showed up and got us both. Barely made it out."

Pyrrha went over to take a seat in one of the empty chairs near the bed. "There's no shame in that," she said in that familiar neutral tone of hers. "An Alpha is a fearsome opponent."

He chuckled at her defense for him. "Oh please. Like you wouldn't have wiped the floor with the entire pack by yourself. The Invincible Girl would never have been so helpless in a fight." He looked at his body and remembered where all of his wounds had been. Only a few still remained. "You wouldn't have wound up like this."

What Jaune had not been expecting was the frown to form on her lips the way it did. She sighed as her eyes were drawn to the floor. "Jaune," she started. But the word lingered too long for him to ignore.

"Yeah?" he said, trying to encourage her to continue.

"Even I would struggle against an Alpha," she told him. "Not to mention an entire pack. I'm not invincible. Even I make mistakes. Even I have my struggles. I have my own issues in life that I am unable to overcome."

Those words were not the ones he had been expecting to come from his partner. In his eyes she was perfect. Pyrrha Nikos. The strongest student in all of Beacon. The most talented fighter. The champion of Mistral. The mascot of cereal. The partner of the fraud.

He shook his head in disbelief. "Next you'll tell me that you would have been scared out there too."

Her head tilted up and her green eyes met his own. "Is that truly so hard to believe?"

If he could have seen his own expression he would have been able to confirm without a doubt that, yes. It was hard to believe.

Pyrrha stood from her seat and slowly walked over to the room's only window. She stuck a hand through the blinds so she could see outside. "There's nothing wrong with being afraid."

"I shouldn't be afraid though," he argued. "I'm supposed to be a huntsman. How am I ever going to fight Grimm and save lives if I'm afraid of them?"

She continued to speak as she looked out the window. "Whenever I step foot out on a battlefield, whenever I fight in a tournament, I am afraid." She turned to look at him once more. "Terrified, Jaune."

The Invincible Girl was terrified? Impossible. That made as much sense as Weiss turning out to be a pauper or Ruby deciding that cookies were disgusting.

"I don't understand," he admitted. "How is that possible?"

"Because... because fear is what keeps you alive," she explained. "If you're not afraid of getting hurt or killed you're no different from the Grimm. You would just be a mindless killing machine. Either that or a fool. And being a fool will get you killed."

Jaune could not count the number of times he had been called a fool in the past couple of months. It was a lot. But he was certain he had never been called the word because he had not been afraid during his training.

But Pyrrha's words sounded right. Maybe that was just because of the source. He looked up to his partner as the pinnacle of strength and skill. A role model for what every aspiring huntsman and huntress should strive to become. So naturally anything she said would carry much more weight with it than it would coming from another person.

He had to know for sure, however. "Is that really what you believe?" he asked.

The girl nodded as she looked him in the eyes once again. "Courage is not the absence of fear, Jaune," she told him. "But the mastery of it."

Judging the amount of great list of deeds and accomplishments that Pyrrha had to her credit she had indeed mastered her fear. Part of him still could not believe what she had said. That she was not some sort of fearless, perfect warrior. That she was human like anyone else. Like him.

Jaune was afraid of many things. Death. Failure. Disgrace. Disappointing those who believed in him. Returning home as he was. How was one supposed to master those fears? Especially when most of them were connected to a single lie which had led him to where he lay at this very moment.

He was stirred from his thoughts when Pyrrha spoke again. "So what do you plan on doing about it?"

"What do you mean?" he asked.

Pyrrha moved over to the side of his bed. "Things went poorly. But this is all in the past. What matters now is how you plan to move forward. What are you going to do about it?"

A good question. He was scared of ever going out and facing the creatures of Grimm in such a manner again. Not so much for his own life, despite his fear of death. Because every rational person had a fear of dying. No, this fear stemmed from one of the other items on the list. What if he was not strong enough to protect the people he cared about? What if Ren or Nora or even Pyrrha were hurt because he was too weak? What if Weiss had not been as strong as she was?

Jaune squeezed his hands tight as he closed his eyes and sighed. He had to keep going. To keep getting stronger. No matter what. No matter how afraid he was. Because like Pyrrha had said, true courage was overcoming the fear you had.

The decision was made in an instant. "I'm going to keep practicing," he told his partner. "I won't give up just because I wound up like this."

Pyrrha smiled one of her rare true smiles. It wasn't one of her polite ones which he could tell she was so used to making. Being a world renowned fighter and company mascot made public appearances a necessity. And with those public appearances came the false emotions to please the crowd. The masks which hid who one truly was.

"I'm happy to hear that," she said warmly. "I can tell you've been putting a lot of effort into improving yourself."

And he had. Day after day of sparring, running and weight lifting had done wonders for his physique. For his combat skills. Even just for his own confidence. If this had been his first day at Beacon he very well may have given up and packed his bags to return home. But not now. Not after how far he had come.

"I have," he agreed. He returned her smile with one of his own. "Thanks, Pyrrha. For the talk. For being my partner. For everything."

"That's what partners are for."

Before he could even reflect on the moment he had just shared with his normally aloof partner the door once again burst open and in came the remaining two members of Team JNPR.

"Alright, Jaune!" Nora shouted with authority. In her hands she carried a large tray which looked like it came from a buffet line rather than a hospital cafeteria. "We've got pancakes," she said as she drew closer to his bed. "Apples. Oranges. Yogurt. More pancakes. A ba-na-na," she said in a sing-song voice. "And pancakes."

The weight of the tray being placed on his lap caused Jaune to grunt in surprise. He looked up at the girl who was either trying to save him from starvation or kill him through asphyxiation by pancakes. "Wow, you really went above and beyond," he told her. "Thank you."

"Only the best for my leader," she said proudly. "Now eat up. You need your strength!"

He didn't even know where to begin. But when he was about to get started Nora spoke again.

"Hey, Jaune?" she asked. "Can I have some of your pancakes? Looks like you have way too many to finish by yourself."

Jaune looked at the stack of what must have been ten of the things. And then to Nora and her hungry, eager teal eyes. "You planned this, didn't you?" he asked.

"I told you he'd see right through it, Nora," Ren said.

"What? Me, n-no," Nora sputtered. "I may have gone a _little_ overboard," she said as she gestured with a finger and thumb for emphasis. "But I'm just trying to help Jaune out. There's nothing worse than wasting food, after all."

"She totally planned it," Ren confirmed for Jaune.

"I- no- just- gimmie!" she said with all the maturity of a toddler before she grabbed half of the pancake stack with her bare hands. A moment later she had made it to the door and rushed outside laughing maniacally.

The three remaining teens stared at the slowly closing door. Only two of them looked dumbfounded. Ren merely sighed and shook his head.

"I take it she does things like this a lot?" Pyrrha asked the boy.

"Welcome to my life," he answered.

Jaune smiled as he began eating. He would be certain to thank Nora again later. For all of her insanity she was the best teammate he could ask for. They all were.

And he was determined to be that for all of them.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** I've said it before and I'll say it again. Ruby is my favorite character to write. There's just a huge range of emotions to her personality that you can use and still make her feel canonical. She can be silly, serious, childish, wise, and so on. It makes me look forward to the day where I can write a Lancaster story. Or maybe I've already begun writing one. Maybe I have two other stories secretly underway that won't start getting posted until this one is almost over. This is purely hypothetical of course.

I know that some people were probably looking forward to seeing the fallout between Jaune and Weiss. Well, like what happened before, a scene just went way longer than I had anticipated. Jaune and Weiss will happen. Just next chapter. You know what they say: always leave them wanting more. So hopefully you do want more.

And hopefully you enjoyed the chapter. Thanks for reading.


	14. Chapter 14

**Author's note:** It's that time again. As always many thanks go out to everyone for reading and reviewing. Every time I think to myself, "I've probably reached my ceiling for how many people will favorite or follow this", you guys outdo yourselves and even more people decide that they like this story. And my words here truly cannot express just how awesome all of this makes me feel. So thank you so much for making me, some nobody with a single RWBY story in his profile, feel so appreciated.

I hope you enjoy the chapter.

* * *

The airship ride had been painless enough. Ruby of course had grabbed the window seat of their row at the first opportunity and spent much of the staring outside. From what little Weiss could see from the head-obstructed view there were a plethora of tall buildings and busy streets below them. Part of her wished that she could have looked, but she was content with the fact that Ruby was at least partially distracted with the sights. It seemed to make her happy as well as Weiss noticed her partner gently kicking her legs, which barely reached down to the floor, in the air like a small child would. So she supposed it wasn't too bad having the middle seat and nothing to do but look down at her scroll.

A train ride later they had arrived at their destination. It was nearly noon by the time they had reached the middle of downtown Vale and there was still so much to do. Luckily all of the time on her scroll had not been wasted. She had been searching for popular stores and shops of all sizes for things which looked interesting. There were a few ideas in the back of her mind but nothing concrete as of yet. She still wondered what Ruby had in mind. This had been her idea after all. But so far the girl had been uncharacteristically quiet.

As it turned out Ruby had not been to the city very often. She came from the small island of Patch and had only travelled to the mainland a handful of times. One such instance had turned out to be the same night she was recruited into Beacon Academy by Ozpin after a run-in with Roman Torchwick and his hired thugs. But if Ruby had any familiarity or knowledge of the city she did not show it. She continuously looked around seemingly in awe of the size and grandeur of the place.

However it was Weiss' first experience with Vale. It was far bigger than she had expected it would be. Coming from Atlas she was more used to civilization than Ruby, but the kingdom of the north did not produce cities of this scale. The cold and unforgiving north forged a tough and hardy people who had to adapt to survive. That made them tremendous soldiers as well as scientists. But they lagged behind when it came to establishing settlements the size of Vale. And geography was the key.

Unlike Atlas' home continent of Solitas, Vale's own Sanus had a wide variety of climates. Here the seasons changed. Winter was cold but summer was warm. Crops could be planted in the spring and harvested in the fall. The temperate months also made it far easier to construct buildings, roads and other infrastructure. Meanwhile in Atlas the months of winter were cold and summer was just slightly less cold. As a result most projects were limited to what was practical and necessary.

Satisfied with her sightseeing for the moment Weiss took her scroll out and began thumbing up and down the screen looking for the names and locations of stores she had shown interest in. A glance over at Ruby showed that she was still trailing slightly behind as she took in the sights and sounds all around her. Did she even have a destination in mind? There was only one way to find out.

"Ruby," Weiss said, gaining the red-cloaked girl's attention.

Naturally Ruby was wearing what had quickly become her trademark red hooded cloak. She rarely left their dorm without it, and would even wear it along with her school uniform at times. How the girl got away with such a blatant violation of the school dress code was a question for another day. All she knew at the moment was that it was a fashion disaster.

"Yeah?" she answered.

Weiss took a deep breath fearing that she already knew the answer to the question she was about to ask. "What is the first destination on our trip?"

She rubbed her chin in thought at the question. "I dunno," she said. "I just kinda figured we'd do whatever."

Do. Whatever. Not only did it make no sense grammatically, but was sure to be a waste of their time. How appropriately Rubyish of Ruby.

It did make sense now that Weiss thought about it. Despite the trip having been Ruby's idea she clearly had little idea of what she was doing or where she was going. The entire time she had been following Weiss' lead as they walked. Luckily she had a plan, even if at the time of making it the intent of the plan had not been to compensate for her partner's shortsightedness.

The heiress sighed as she closed her eyes. "Of course that's what you had in mind."

The first thing that greeted her vision upon opening her eyes was a slightly frowning Ruby. "Oh yeah?" she asked. "And what do you have in mind then, Ms. Plansy McPlan-Plan?"

How anyone could try and turn being prepared and having a plan into a pejorative nickname baffled Weiss. Was there something wrong with having a goal in mind rather than wandering around aimlessly? Then again this was Ruby she was thinking about. The girl probably didn't think beyond what her next sugar-packed meal would be.

" _I_ have created a list of possible locations of interest," she said a little prouder than she probably should have. "In fact we're already approaching the first one on the list."

Ruby waved her hands in front of her mockingly. "Ooh look at me, I'm Weiss Schnee. I organize stores I want to go to by the shortest distance from me to the furthest." She brought her hands up to her mouth in an attempt to stifle the giggle which followed her taunting behavior.

"How did you k-" Weiss stopped herself when Ruby's eyes widened with glee.

"No way, you actually did?" Ruby's laugh intensified and she made no effort to hide it this time. It earned her a glowering glare from her partner. "That is so you!"

Weiss huffed an irritated breath out as she looked straight ahead. "There is nothing wrong with being efficient," she said defensively. "And it is not 'so me'," she added with air quotations.

"Nope," she said in that annoying tone of hers when she said that one specific word. "Totally you. Wanna know how I know?"

"Not r-"

She never finished sharing her disinterest with Ruby before being interrupted. "Because we're partners!" she shouted, arms raised in the air and earning the attention of passersby.

Weiss wanted to shrink in embarrassment at the antics of her partner. But seeing how there was nothing that could be done to get away from this situation she decided to just play along with Ruby.

"Fine, you've got me," she said sardonically. There was about a fifty-fifty chance that the younger girl would not pick up on the sarcasm. "You know me so well."

"Yup," she agreed, indeed oblivious to her partner's sarcasm. Weiss considered that maybe _she_ was getting to know Ruby too well. "Next you'll tell me that you downloaded all the train and airship schedules to try and coordinate the fastest trip back to Beacon!"

She had. But she was not about to confirm that little bit of knowledge to her partner. Silence would all but tell Ruby that she was correct. So Weiss quickly changed the subject.

"There," she said pointing down the sidewalk to a storefront about half a block away. "That's our first stop."

"Okay!" Ruby said happily.

Weiss was thankful that the remaining distance was covered without further incidents from her partner. As they stepped through the doors of the shop the scents of fabric and leather filled her nose. It has been such a long time since she had stepped foot in a clothing store. It was a rather large place with it being a chain store with multiple locations scattered around Vale and perhaps even all of Remnant. Weiss didn't know. But this was not the time to concern herself with the question.

The floor was divided into two halves. To her right was the women's section while the men's was on the left. Weiss strolled down the large center aisle casually looking around her as she went, her eagle-like eyes scanning for anything which looked appealing. Ruby as usual followed behind her a couple of steps being unusually quiet. It did not last for long however.

"This is so cool," she gushed. "A real live clothes shopping thingy with my bestie just like on TV!"

Weiss rolled her eyes at the comment. "You really need to get out more," she told her. "Didn't Yang ever do any of this with you? She seems like the type who would enjoy shopping despite her... questionable taste in fashion."

The mismatched and hodgepodge attire which Yang frequently wore spoke volumes to what she thought was stylish and attractive. Maybe that was why she flashed so much of her bare skin. To compensate for the fact that it looked like a half-witted Boarbatusk dressed her in the morning.

"Well, no..." Ruby said softly. "Like I said, there weren't a lot of malls or fancy places like this in Patch."

Weiss shrugged. "Well then you're lucky that I'm here," she said proudly. "Because I'm going to teach you how to be a proper young woman when it comes to this sort of thing." She pointed over to their right. "Now go and find something that you think suits you and bring it back to me for my opinion."

Ruby halted which caused Weiss to do the same. Turning to see what the problem was she saw the girl looking down at her outfit. "What's wrong with what I have now?" Ruby asked.

What was wrong with it? A black corset and skirt with a red cloak may have been passable for going out and slaying Grimm, but it was the last thing which Weiss would call fashionable.

"Too many things to list in the limited time that we have," Weiss answered. "Now go," she said, flicking her wrist in a shooing motion toward the girl. "Shop."

Weiss turned around and headed in the other direction but was stopped when Ruby spoke again. "Uh, Weiss? You're going to the guy's section. I don't think anything there will fit you."

She met the girl's eyes before replying. "I know, Ruby. I just have something I need to take care of."

"Oh, uh. Okay."

Without another word Weiss resumed her journey to the other side of the store. It was not about getting away from Ruby. It was about what she had told herself earlier in the morning. Back in the Emerald Forest.

Weiss remembered the sight Jaune's ruined clothes in the forest. And she had been reminded of them in her brief visit to his hospital room. She had made the decision to replace the outfit that he had lost. Only she would be replacing it with an upgrade. Blue jeans were nice for casual occasions but they could not be the only thing in any good man's wardrobe. He needed something nice. And she doubted that outside of his school uniform that he possessed anything that anyone with an ounce of class would consider nice. Luckily she was just the girl to solve such a problem.

Weiss approached a sharply-dressed man with a name badge on his chest pointing him out as a staff member. If she needed an opinion she was sure that she would be able to trust him far more than Ruby. He clearly understood his job not only because of his clothes, but because of the finely styled short black hair he wore and the small mustache that he was able to pull off without looking like a creep.

He looked up as she approached him and met her with a welcoming smile. "Good afternoon, miss," he said. "May I help you?"

Finally, someone with manners. It had been a while, being at Beacon for over two months now. She smiled back at him. "Yes, thank you. I'm wondering if you could recommend a size range for a young man I'm shopping for today. A little bit over six feet tall and a slightly above average build. Thin but with some muscle tone."

The conversation had been a brief one and Weiss was soon on her way with an answer. Walking amongst the middle of the many racks and shelves her head was on a swivel as she sought out something that looked nice. There were plenty of options for sure, but there were simply too many things that she thought that Jaune would not be able to pull off. He wasn't classically handsome, but not bad looking either. That scraggly blonde hair of his was one of the biggest offenders in her mind. Maybe she would need to take him to Vale next week and forcibly get him a haircut. That in itself would be worth the cost of a pair of airship and train tickets. She smirked to herself in silent amusement at the thought.

He was a relatively simple boy in every facet she could think of. Temperament, clothing, fighting... intelligence. Weiss shook her head at the last thought. Now was not the time to be insulting him, even if it was only in her mind. She was out to do something nice for him to make amends for her own screw up. She decided that she needed to focus on the task at hand.

But her first instinct on him being simply-dressed was correct. And there was nothing wrong with that on its own. One could dress plainly but still look nice. That would be her goal.

A pair of plain black slacks caught her eye. Anyone could pull off black. And black went with anything. Weiss grabbed a pair of appropriately sized pants from the rack and held them before her. She imagined in her mind what he would look like wearing them. She gave herself a tiny nod of approval. These would indeed work.

As if the store was reading her mind the employees had strategically set up another rack containing belts of all sizes and styles in the middle of its pants section. It made it easier for the customer to find the accessories that they needed to compliment their purchase whether they realized it or not. All in all an excellent marketing ploy. She grabbed a thick black leather belt from the display. It was sturdy and not likely to break should Jaune ever find himself in a combat situation while wearing it. He did have a pair of belts which fit the description she was looking for except for the fact that they were brown. How did a man own two belts and have them both be brown anyway?

Now she needed a top. But before she could get too far she heard a voice behind her.

"Weiss!" it said enthusiastically. "I found something!"

She turned to see Ruby standing there holding a black hoodie with a stylized rose on its front. The red petals of the flower covered where the wearer's heart would be while the long, thorny stem stretched down and across the body diagonally before ending just above the bottom of the clothing.

Just what was it with her and hoods? Or people and hoodies in general? Jaune wore one. Now she wanted one. Did people have zero taste in this kingdom?

"What do you think?" Ruby asked excitedly. "I think it's totally me."

Weiss' eye twitched. She wanted so desperately to berate the girl and force her to pick out something more feminine. But as she had told both Winter and Yang, she had decided to be nicer and more accepting of the girl. And she could clearly see Ruby was delighted with her choice.

"Do you like it?" Weiss asked in response to the girl's own question.

Ruby nodded vigorously. "Yeah. It'll be super useful this Autumn when it gets colder."

"If you like it then you should get it."

Her partner smiled at Weiss' "approval". But she had failed to realize that Weiss had not actually approved of it. It was a typical Schnee way with words to say something without actually saying anything at all. A valuable trick she had learned from her father.

"Okay. Any luck on your end?"

Weiss lifted her arm which had the pair of black pants draped over it to show Ruby. Afterward she resumed her search for the next piece of the outfit.

"Ooh those are nice," Ruby commented. "Maybe a nice hoodie to go with it. You know I think hoodies are really cool."

Weiss did indeed know. But getting another one of those things was out of the question.

"I'm looking for something a bit more classy," she said instead of what she was actually thinking. "Semi-formal maybe. Something you could wear out without looking like you've been invited to a gala."

"A gal-what?" her partner asked.

The heiress shook her head. "Never mind." She was about to ask Ruby to assist her in her search before thinking better of it. "This way," she chose to say instead.

A plethora of shirts hung from hangers all around her. She began sorting through them, the soft scraping noise of the metal hanger hook on the metal rack ringing in her ears with each choice she passed up. Short sleeved. Ugly color. Too big. Too small. Ugly pattern. Who wore red stripes on a green garment? Flannel? Seriously? Who approved of most of these designs to begin with?

Finally something caught her eye. She took the shirt off the rack and held it up in front of her. The long sleeve button-up shirt was a deep blue shade nearly identical to his eyes. It would help bring out the color in them. In a moment she approved of the idea and placed it on top of the pants she already carried.

"That looks nice," Ruby commented. The girl had no idea just how right she was. "So is that it then?"

"Almost," Weiss said. "There's just one or two more pieces I need first..."

A plain black sports coat completed the ensemble. It would give him the opportunity to dine out at a fancy restaurant should he ever feel so inclined to. Internally she realized just how ridiculous such an idea was. As if he would ever find a girl to do accompany him on such an activity. However Weiss was not about to purchase an incomplete outfit. Things should be done properly or not done at all.

After the jacket she grabbed one final item before looking to Ruby. "And done."

"So now we check out?"

 _Yes, Ruby. Now we pay for the clothes._ She held back the comment and instead answered politely. "Yes."

The two girls made their way up to a counter where an older woman stood ready to complete their purchases. Weiss placed her items down before holding her hand out to Ruby.

"Let me take that," she said motioning to Ruby's hoodie.

"Huh?" Ruby asked. "Why? I thought you said you liked it?"

 _I said no such thing,_ she thought. "It's my treat," she said instead.

Ruby hesitated for a moment before handing the piece of clothing to her partner. "Really? What's the occasion?"

Armed with her trusty Schnee Company credit card she handed it to the clerk along with Ruby's hoodie. "For convincing me to come out today," she answered.

Ruby beamed with pride. "See? I knew you'd like it! Let me tell you, Weiss. It's not easy being such a great team leader _and_ friend at the same time."

Weiss rolled her eyes at the comment. "Whatever. That idiot had better appreciate all the effort I went through for him today."

As employees are so often and annoyingly expected to do, the woman behind the counter made polite conversation. "Buying something for your boyfriend?" she asked Weiss.

Weiss' mouth opened to speak out in protest but her brain lost all train of thought by the very idea of what the woman had just said. "What? B- t- n-no!" she finally sputtered. "Of course not!"

Ruby cooed in delight at the reaction of her partner. "Weiss has a boyfriend! Weiss has a boyfriend!" she sang with the maturity of a ten year old.

There were often times where Weiss did compare Ruby to a child. Her words, ideas and mentality made it easy to do so. But to so blatantly act like someone well below her age here defied even their normal circumstances.

"Shut up, Ruby," she growled. "It's for Jaune. Because of what happened to his clothes in the Emerald Forest this morning."

"Weiss and Jauney sitting in a tree. K-"

"So help me if you finish that childish little song I will find a new partner."

What would normally be a heart-stopping threat only emboldened Ruby in the current situation. "Going to ditch me for your boyfriend?"

The frustrated scream gained the attention of nearly every other customer in the store. After the transaction was completed Weiss stormed out with a giddy Ruby skipping behind her.

* * *

Jaune was slamming his head back against the pillow. He was thankful that both this day and this experience were nearly over. The doctor had finally cleared him to be released. She had said something about his Aura level being near completely recharged. Whether or not that was supposed to be an impressive feat in a matter of a few hours he did not know. But what he did know was that the sooner he got out the better.

Even now a staff member had gone to fetch some clothes for him. It would not do for him to march back to his student dorms in nothing but a hospital gown. And his filthy, dented armor did not cover nearly enough of him to make that a viable option. Not that he ever truly believed it was one. But when there was nothing but trash TV on all day it gave a person a lot of time to think.

Looking out the window he saw the sun beginning to set in the late afternoon sky. He wondered what his team was up to right now. Everyone for that matter. They had all come at least once today, including his own teammates again at lunch. Nora had once more taken it upon herself to raid the cafeteria. But with no pancakes available the meal had been a lot less dramatic than before. That was both good and bad. Because while the unnecessary insanity of the redhead could get dangerous at times, it was always amusing. And being stuck in this room all day had taught him the value of good entertainment.

Suddenly the door burst open to reveal a black and red-clad girl jumping in flailing her arms wildly in the air. Jaune could only assume she was trying and failing to mimic the mannerisms of a gymnast who had just stuck her landing.

"Hey, Jaune!" Ruby greeted him happily.

A scolding voice came from behind the girl. "Ruby, what did I tell you before about knocking?" Moments later Weiss stepped around the other girl to stand behind her. "Hello, Jaune."

He smiled at the pair of girls and raised a hand. "Hey, what's up?"

Unsurprisingly it was Ruby who stepped forward first and made her way to his bed. "We didn't get to see you this morning because of some stupid tests or something," she said excitedly. "But we were here first. Even before your team. Wanna know why?"

"Because you convinced me to ditch classes today?" Weiss answered.

Jaune's eyes widened. What kind of world was he living in? Ruby and Weiss were here together? And the younger girl had convinced the other to break some sort of rule? Had his injury caused some sort of brain damage and he was hearing things incorrectly? But before he could even ponder the flurry of questions racing in his mind Ruby continued speaking.

"Because we're awesome friends, that's why" she said proudly. She reached around Weiss' neck with her arm and pulled the girl close to her. "Not just me and my partner here," she said, oblivious to the struggling girl stuck in her grip. "But we're your awesome friends too. Even though we're on different teams it's like we're on the same team! Like one huge eight-person team!"

There was no denying that statement. While it was to be expected that the members of a team would all grow close during their time together at Beacon, and that those bonds of friendship would last long after graduation, it was far less common for multiple teams to forge similar bonds. But Teams RWBY and JNPR had done exactly that. They had been nearly inseparable since initiation. Even before that in fact. Jaune had come to the aid of Ruby on their first day at the school. And he and Yang had formed a friendship as a result. Weiss on the other hand...

Speaking of the girl she finally pried Ruby's arm from her neck and took a step away from her diminutive partner. "Please don't do that again," she said with a hint of agitation in her voice.

That surprised Jaune as well. Normally such a blatant violation of Weiss' personal space would result in severe verbal backlash. This was tame in comparison.

Finally Jaune got a chance to speak with his chatty friend. "Yeah, I heard you guys this morning. Thanks for coming by, and sorry I was a little, uh, busy."

Ruby waved dismissively at his apology. "Pfft it's not your fault. Besides, it gave us time to go out and do something while you were busy."

"I told you it would take more than two hours," Weiss said cryptically.

"Well how was I supposed to know?" Ruby answered back defensively. "I told you I hadn't done stuff like that before."

All sorts of questions were being raised in Jaune's imagination about what they had spent hours doing together for the first time. But before his mind could linger on such thoughts he saw a third female enter the room behind the two oblivious girls. His eyes widened once more, this time in fear, by the expression on her face.

A single long, powerful arm wrapped itself around Ruby's throat from behind the girl. "Hello, wayward sister of mine," Yang said, smiling through gritted teeth. "Did you enjoy your day off?"

Ruby began to sputter and gag as she tried to pull her older sister off of her. She was not being choked as far as Jaune could tell. But it was still quite an uncomfortable position to be in.

"Do you have any idea how worried I was this morning?" she asked. Ruby responded with a few broken words as she continued to squirm in the blonde's grip. "But that fear quickly turned to anger when I realized that nothing bad had happened. You just decided to ditch school. And you want to know the worst part?" Jaune could see the very real fear in Ruby's eyes and held his breath for the answer. "You didn't even invite me!"

Yang finally released the girl who began taking deep breaths with her new-found freedom. She turned to Jaune who looked at them like he was about to witness a murder. "Hello, vomit boy," she said cheerfully, putting what looked like a genuine smile on her face. "Feeling better?"

"Much," he said. "But if you keep this up then Ruby will be the next one of us in a hospital bed."

"Oh she'll be fine," Yang said as she tousled her sister's hair. Ruby swatted at her hand angrily in response. "I've done way worse back home."

"I'm surprised she turned out as well as she has."

The blonde girl chuckled. "Anyway, we'll catch up later. Right now I need to have a talk with my dear sister."

Before Ruby could protest she was grabbed by the collar and found herself being dragged from the room. A few seconds later the sisters were out the door leaving him and Weiss alone.

"This is my life now," the heiress said with a dejected sigh.

Jaune smiled. "Hey, it could be worse. You could have Nora on your team."

He didn't mean anything bad by it. But when it came to levels of crazy Nora was on a completely different level from the Team RWBY siblings.

"Well at least there's only one of them," she said. "You're fortunate enough to have Pyrrha and Ren on your team. The boy keeps Nora in check."

True enough. Having the boy who grew up as Nora's best friend on their team certainly made things easier.

"Yeah," he agreed. "But you have Yang to help keep Ruby in line."

"Are you kidding me?" she asked. "Yang only makes her worse."

He smiled. "I guess that's true."

An awkward silence quickly fell over the room. Now that their conversation had finished they did not know where to go from there. Because there was only one place to go. And neither wanted to broach the subject.

"So..." Jaune started. It was feeling eerily like his conversation with Pyrrha from earlier in the morning.

Luckily Weiss was not nearly as awkward as him or his partner. She quickly and gracefully took over the conversation. "It's good to see you feeling better," she stated.

He nodded. "Yeah, thanks. I'm going to be released soon. Some nurse is just getting some clothes for me to change into."

Weiss' eyes suddenly narrowed as she looked down at him. Though her short height made doing so easier for her than many others. "No."

He gave her a confused look. "No?"

"Here," she said, presenting a large handled bag in front of her. "Take this."

He did so, accepting the bag and setting it down on his lap. He had been wondering what it was that she had brought in with her. Looking inside he saw that it contained a number of folded items of clothing. When he returned his gaze to Weiss there was an expression on her face that he could not pinpoint the emotion of.

"What's this for?" he asked.

Her eyes quickly shifted focus from him down to the floor. "I..." she said hesitantly. Weiss never hesitated. "I felt bad about this morning. Your clothes got ruined. So... Ruby and I went out earlier and I got this for you."

Jaune was taken aback. Was this Weiss speaking to him? Did she have a twin sister who was kind and caring? This was not the Ice Queen he was familiar with.

"Are you feeling okay?" he asked jokingly. "Are you sure I'm the only one who got hurt this morning?"

An angry scowl overtook her face in an instant. "Look are you going to accept the gift or not?"

Sometimes it still amazed him how the girl's mood could shift so suddenly. He clutched the bag in his hands and nodded. "Yes. Thank you, Weiss. This is really thoughtful of you."

The rage subsided as quickly as it had come. "I'm glad you like it," she said neutrally. She would not meet his eyes as she said so.

And that troubled Jaune deeply. Because for as long as he had known her she would always look him or anyone else in the eye when speaking to them. He always assumed it was some sort of etiquette thing coming from a wealthy and prestigious family. For her not to look at him right now spoke louder than words.

"Try them on," she suddenly all but demanded.

"What? Now? Here?"

"Yes."

"But, uh..." he said as he ran a hand through his hair. "You're kinda in the room."

Weiss let out an exasperated sigh. "Do I have to do everything around here?" She grabbed the edge of the privacy curtain that would shield the view of his bed from the rest of the room. "Here, are you satisfied?" she asked as she pulled it across the room to separate them.

Jaune Arc did not know much about women. That much had already been made clear to him in his limited time at Beacon. But if there was one thing he had learned from his mother and seven sisters it was this. If a woman bought you a gift and told you to use it, or in this case wear it, you did not disobey that order.

"Yeah," he said uneasily as he slid the thin sheet off of him and sat up. "Much better."

* * *

The crumpling sounds of the paper bag being handled and clothes being removed from it permeated the silence which had otherwise engulfed the room. Yes, this was quite an awkward situation. The only time Weiss had ever been this close to a member of the opposite sex in a state of undress was initiation day in the co-ed locker room. But this was important to her. She had put a lot of effort into picking out these clothes. She had spent an entire afternoon alone with Ruby. That in itself should have been penance enough for the guilt she felt.

She didn't quite know what to say at this point. It was a most uncommon and unpleasant feeling for the young heiress. Weiss was normally never short when it came to comments and criticism of her peers. But here and now? What could she possibly say? The truth? Or maybe just half the truth. When it came to her family the latter was usually the best route.

She looked over to one of the empty seats in the room but declined the option to sit down. "Jaune," she started uneasily. She couldn't believe she was actually going through with this. "You did... well out there."

From behind the curtain came his voice. "Uh, thanks," he said hesitantly.

She frowned. Should that be enough? It really didn't touch on the key issue here. She pushed forward to continue the conversation.

"It's my fault," she admitted. "For what happened this morning. I'm..." she paused and swallowed hard. Admitting fault was a lot harder than she expected it to be. "I'm sorry."

For long seconds the silence returned to the room. Only the sounds of Jaune putting on his newly-bought clothes could be heard.

Weiss began to move and pivot her feet on the floor unconsciously for a few moments before she realized what she was doing. In an instant she stopped and mentally chastised herself. Was this what it was like to be Ruby? To be nervous in a social situation to the point where you fidgeted around like an awkward fool?

Finally Jaune responded. "It's not your fault," he told her. Another pause, this time from him. "It's mine."

She had not been expecting that answer. But this was _her_ moment to make amends. And she would not have it be taken from her. "No," she insisted. "I made you go out there when you felt you weren't ready," she explained. "I'm your teacher. The blame falls on me."

It was the truth. She even remembered what he had said to her jokingly when they were on their way back from the Emerald Forest. There were no idiot students. Only idiot teachers. Is that what she was? An idiot of a teacher? A week ago she would have bragged about turning a fool into a halfway decent warrior. Now she didn't know anymore.

"Well... you can't teach everyone. No matter how good of a teacher you are."

Even if that was true it didn't make what she did right. "I left you on your own," she said. "Your first instinct was to work together. " _Keen warrior intellect._ "And I split us up to go after the Alpha on my own."

She heard a soft chuckle from the obscured bed. "How about we agree that we both suck?"

Another frown formed on her lips. "Excuse me?"

A moment later the curtain was pulled back to reveal the tall blonde clad in his new clothes. Truth be told he looked sharp. While his hair was still a disaster in her mind the clothes suited him. Her keen eyes along with the helpful advice received from the store staff had ensured that they fit him properly. Not too loose but not hugging his figure either. The black accentuated his height favorably. And the blue shirt really did do wonders for his eyes.

He smiled when he caught a glimpse of what must have looked like satisfaction on her face. "I take it you approve?"

Weiss was shaken from her thoughts by his words. "Of course I approve. I picked them out myself."

He shrugged. "I guess," he said as he adjusted the waistband of his pants as he spoke. "But like I was saying. I'm not that great at fighting and you messed up. So how about we call it even?"

Could that be a fair compromise? Not in her mind. To Weiss the responsibility fell solely on her shoulders. And as the heiress to a company she was not used to shifting the blame or forcing others to take responsibility for her errors. Board members wouldn't be so understanding. Nor would investors.

But she could see that there would be no convincing the young man that she was to blame for their predicament. "Only if you allocate seventy percent of the blame on me," she argued.

He gave her a strange look as he adjusted his pants again. She hoped the two actions were unrelated. "Fifty five," he countered.

"Sixty."

With a roll of his eyes he gave up. "Fine. Sixty percent your fault."

She was just about to voice her approval for his concession when she saw him adjust his pants for a third time in the span of a minute. "What." she said.

"Huh?"

"If you're about to complain that your pants are too tight it's your own fault for gaining weight," she told him bluntly. "I told you how unhealthy that beef jerky was for you."

He rubbed the back of his neck at her words. "It's... it's not that."

"Then why do you keep grabbing at your... your..." she didn't want to mention the area that his hands were dangerously close to every time he adjusted his pants.

Jaune bit his lower lip as he looked away from her. "I'm, uh... well. I'm not exactly wearing any underwear. It's kinda uncomfortable."

Weiss inhaled through her nose. "What?" she asked sharply. "Why not?"

"You didn't buy me any," he said sheepishly. His words were accompanied by an apologetic smile.

She glared at him in disbelief. "What am I? Your mother? Of course I didn't buy you- ugh never mind."

Jaune threw his hands up in frustration. "Well it's not like they washed mine and gave them back to me after I changed into my hospital gown," he said pointing at the piece of clothing which now sat on the empty bed. "Honestly I wish you would have bought me something instead of going commando right now."

The latest reminder of only a single thin piece of fabric separating her from Jaune's manhood was the final straw for the heiress. "Shut up, Jaune." she spat angrily. "Just shut up."

"Okay!" he said with his hands out in surrender. "Sorry!"

Weiss took a deep breath as she tried to recollect her thoughts. The apology was done. The situation was resolved. Wasn't it? What was there left to do?

That seemed to be the case as Jaune spoke once more. "So what's next?"

Caught off-guard in her thoughts Weiss' attention snapped back to the other person in the room. "What?" she asked.

"Training," he clarified. "My armor is going to need to be repaired at Beacon's forge so sparring is probably a bad idea for the next few days. What will we do instead?"

Unreal. Even after everything that had happened he still wanted to train? He still trusted her even after her admission of fault? He was either the most trusting or the most foolish person she had ever met in her life. Honestly she wouldn't put it past him to be both.

"Maybe we should take a break," she told him. "You should spend a few days recovering."

It was a half truth. What she failed to mention was how her own confidence had been shaken. Apparently to a greater degree than his had been. In fact it appeared that he was even more eager to get back into his training than before.

"I'm fine," he smiled. "The doc says my Aura is nearly fully recharged or whatever. No lasting injuries."

 _A girl should be so lucky to find a man with Aura levels and... stamina as high as his._

Stupid Winter for saying such an obscene line. And stupid Ruby for being the one to remind her of ideas like that with her childish taunting.

Shaking the thought from her head she came up with an idea. "Okay. We don't have to do any physical training tomorrow."

He nodded in understanding. "Okay. So what did you have in mind?"

"Do you remember watching the fight between Ruby and Yang a while back?"

After a moment of thought he nodded once more. "Yeah. That time they tore up the sparring room?"

"Indeed," she confirmed. "We'll do that again. Only with different people this time. People who aren't quite as..." she said as she sought to find a suitable word to describe her teammates. "Exceptional."

"Alright. Sounds like a plan."

Everything seemed to be in order. Now she could leave and put this whole disastrous, not to mention uncomfortable day behind her. She looked down to see his feet clad in brand new black socks. She had even remembered those, but not the one item he was missing beneath the pants. Of course she hadn't remembered that. Why would she? It was absurd to even consider buying something of that nature for him. Remembering that piece of their conversation was threatening to make her face turn red in embarrassment.

Weiss decided to end this conversation before that could happen. "Good. I'll see you tomorrow then. Don't bother showing up to the sparring chamber at six either. I'll text the details for our session."

"Okay."

Without another word Weiss turned and strode out of the room. It wasn't even dark out yet and she was exhausted. All she wanted to do now was go to sleep. She wanted to forget any of this had ever happened. But she knew that tomorrow would be a busy day. Not only because of the potential wrath she would face from her professors. She would have to move forward with her plan as well.

Life was so much easier being alone.

* * *

Her hands were clasped behind her back in a professional manner as she walked down the corridor. It was how she always chose to present herself when there was no rush to be anywhere. Time was a precious commodity in the military. And it was moments like this where she did not have any pressing issues before her that she cherished most of all. Well, that was almost true. There were other things in the world she cherished far more than this life she had chosen for herself.

Winter Schnee looked to the man walking beside her. General James Ironwood was a practical man with a strategic mind, but even he was sometimes an enigma to her. After what had just taken place why was he not being more proactive? Why were their forces not out scouring the other kingdoms for answers? This was what she lived for. She was a Specialist in the Atlesian military. And as such she could go places where normal uniformed soldiers would not be permitted. She could travel all around Remnant without the risk of an international incident or diplomatic faux pas.

The halls they walked were cold but she did not care. She embraced the feeling in fact. Comfort made one complacent. And that idea was the foundation of Atlas and its success. Humanity had been forced to struggle and adapt to its environment rather than bask in the perfection of ideal living conditions. That had been the downfall of Vacuo. Even after so many centuries it had still never recovered and regained its former splendor. Winter had studied that particular piece of history thoroughly. It was a testament to what happened when people became soft. They died.

The silence shared between the two soldiers of Atlas' military was broken when James finally spoke. "You were not pleased with my decision," he said knowingly.

Winter was indeed not happy. An entire shipment of prototype Paladin Battlesuits had been stolen in transit. How could she be happy about that? It was an insult. A disgrace. A black eye to Atlas and its military. The fact that the culprits were not being actively hunted down and brought to justice vexed her more than she had let on. Apparently she did not do a good enough job of hiding that fact. That, or Ironwood was as perceptive as a man worthy of his rank. And in her eyes he was indeed worthy.

"It is not my place to question your decision," she answered diplomatically.

The man chuckled softly. "No, it is not," he confirmed. "However I would be remiss not to ask my subordinates for their opinions on military matters."

Winter frowned. He was baiting her. All but ordering her to give her opinion. But in that cruelly cunning manner of his he did not actually come out and give the order directly. This vexed her as well. She had dealt with enough intrigue and scheming growing up in the Schnee household. She thought that being in the military meant that issues would be black and white. No room for interpretation or debate. Orders were to be given and followed without question. But when Ironwood did things like this...

Winter relented. "Permission to speak freely, General?"

"Granted," he said in an almost amused tone.

"I think it's ludicrous."

He laughed again. And her eyes narrowed in annoyance as she continued to stare straight ahead down the hall.

"I do not believe it is a laughing matter either," she added.

"No," he agreed. "It is not. However I do thank you for your honest opinion of my decision."

"May I inquire as to why we are not pursuing this matter?"

She heard him sight beside her. "I will be making a trip to Vale myself in the coming months," he told her. "Even now preparations for the Vytal Festival are being made. And we cannot afford to spread our forces out too thin. Not after everything which has already happened."

And much had already happened. White Fang attacks were increasing in frequency. Guerrilla style assaults on Schnee dust mines and processing plants were costing the kingdom of Atlas precious lives both in laborers and military personnel. Time and money were being expended not only to repair the damage and hire new workers, but to station more soldiers there to protect them. For an organization which claimed to fight for faunus rights they certainly seemed to have no qualms in the lost lives of their brethren during these attacks. The indiscriminate bombings and shootings killed more than just Atlesian soldiers. They took the lives of faunus workers as well. And the White Fang would then take the news of the dead faunus and twist the statistics to portray the Schnee family as a clan of racists and murderers who did not care about the lives of their employees. It disgusted Winter at just how much damage propaganda could do.

She gave a curt nod before replying. "I understand, sir."

"Your diligence does not go unnoticed, however," he told her. "Nor does it go unappreciated. You are one of the finest soldiers under my command, Schnee."

Her expression remained unchanged as she took the compliment. "Thank you, sir."

"And you must continue to be so," he said. "Which is why I ask you not to dwell on the decision and get some rest. I know that the meeting lasted longer than anticipated and the hour is late. So please try and get some rest."

"I will, sir."

He turned to look at her. Out of the corner of her eye she saw him staring at the side of her head. "That was not an order. There's no need to be so formal."

Formality was all she had ever known. It had been drilled into her since the day of her birth. As the eldest child to Jacques Schnee she had stood to inherit the family business once he had passed away. Proper speaking etiquette, attire, posture, and even cutlery use were taught from the moment she was able to speak. But that all changed when she had joined Atlas' military. The day where in one selfish and impulsive moment she had made the decision to thrust her fate onto her dear younger sister. The truth of that fact still haunted her.

Since then there had been a different type of formality which controlled her life. But unlike before where she had dealt with a manipulative father whose only goal was to further advance the Schnee name, now she dealt with the harsh realities of life and death on a daily basis. Where before not obeying orders would get a stern lecture or punishment, here not obeying orders would get someone killed. Either herself or her comrades. However Winter was already used to treating her orders as if they were a life or death situation. The transition had been a mostly painless one.

And that cruel fact made it even harder to adjust to what most people would consider normal behavior.

Winter had to consciously suppress the urge to maintain military discipline in the presence of her commanding officer. "I'll try and get some rest."

James nodded approvingly. "Then we will reconvene in the morning. Have a good night, Winter."

"And you as well."

It was almost as if Ironwood had planned the conversation out perfectly to end right as they reached the end of the corridor. Here the path they had been walking ended and the hall split off in two directions. The General took a right turn while Winter went left.

Winter sighed as she was already internally disobeying orders. Despite the fact that it had not even been an order. Her mind focused once more on the missing Paladins. According to reports members of the White Fang in Vale had recently ambushed a train carrying the new state of the art technology. Only a handful of the crew and soldiers who had been manning the train had survived. And their cargo had been stolen. She did not like the implications which that brought.

The White Fang was already enough of a thorn in the side of not only Atlas, but the Schnee family. Many times over the course of her life had Winter dealt with the actions and subsequent consequences of the terrorist organization's attacks. She had lost friends. Family. Property. And much more personal things. They all had. Her, Weiss and Whitley. Their mother too. Winter wondered if the woman back home was drunk yet.

Perhaps she would take a page out of mother's book. Ironwood had told her to relax after all, had he not? And what better way to relax than with a glass of premium Mistrali scotch? Naturally she would never let herself get carried away like certain other people in her life did. But indulging herself every now and then did help her to relax.

Winter reached her quarters and shut the door behind her. Finally out of sight and away from prying eyes she could let her guard down. No longer was she required to be the eldest daughter of the Schnee's, even if that title held little formal meaning anymore. And no longer was she expected to be the pinnacle of military perfection in front of her soldiers. Here she could just be herself.

She let her long white hair loose to cascade down her shoulders and back. It was not quite as long as Weiss'. But on the battlefield such a thing would be a burden. And Winter was as practical as they came.

After hanging her pristine white uniform jacket on the tall coat rack in the corner she approached her desk. A pair of recently washed glasses along with a half-empty bottle of the aforementioned alcohol sat off to the side waiting for her. Winter poured herself a drink before setting the bottle down on one of the corners of the desk, as if telling herself that it was now out of reach and she would be limited to a single drink for the night. Because temperance was a virtue, she always told herself. But the drink was not the only item to occupy her workspace.

As always her secretary had placed the day's mail directly in the center of the brown wooden surface with the words facing toward the seat behind the desk. While Winter appreciated the thought behind such a detail it did not stop her from spinning the stack of letters around to face her on the other side before picking them up.

Right from the start it looked as if her work was following her home. Or at least the closest thing she had to a home in a military base. The first piece of mail was official Atlesian military business. Flipping through the letters she saw more of the same. The names and offices on each envelope were different but they all had the same basic content. There would be more people to speak to, more meetings to attend and more reports to read. A little bit of light reading before bed wouldn't hurt too bad, she thought. That was until she reached the final letter on the bottom of the stack.

The hand-written words were unique to one person and one person alone. For only one person in her life chose penmanship over the use of a machine. The letter in question had no doubt been rushed here by Schnee-employed couriers once it had reached their hands. Winter set all the other letters down into a pile atop the desk once more as she walked over to the chair and sat down.

Slicing open the top of the envelope with a small sharpened device she removed the folded piece of paper and looked at it. A perfect three fold technique. Just as Weiss always did. Winter smiled at the thought of her sister sitting down and painstakingly ensuring that every millimeter of the paper lined up properly. She would expect no less from the girl.

Finally she opened the letter up and began reading. If anyone else had been in the room with her they would have said that Winter's facial expressions had far more emotional range than they usually did. But no one was there to comment on that or the words she spoke in the silence.

"Interesting..." she commented softly.

When she had finished reading her sister's words she folded the paper once more and set it aside on her desk. She took a sip of her scotch and licked her lips afterward. There was indeed no other word she could use to describe what she had just read.

"Very interesting."

* * *

 **Author's note:** Believe me when I say that I did not intend for the majority of the past 4 chapters to take place over the course of a single day. I just kept coming up with ideas for scenes that went way longer than I expected. This did nothing to help my worries over the pacing of the story. But hopefully there was a good amount of character development in this time.

Also just to clarify, the train attack Winter and Ironwood were discussing is not the Black Trailer. Just in case anyone was wondering.

Speaking of Winter, I've spoken to a few people over the course of this story about how I really wanted to include more of her. I was just struggling to think of ways to do so in a pre-volume 3 setting. But I've come up with several ideas. And as you can see here at the end of the chapter we're approaching the first of those ideas.

Hopefully you enjoyed the chapter. Questions or comments? Let me know. I'm always up for discussing ideas as long as they don't drift into spoiler territory.

Thanks for reading.


	15. Chapter 15

**Author's Note:** So with the posting of last chapter this story has surpassed 50,000 views. That's incredible. Huge thanks go out to everyone who's stuck around this long. I know it's taking a while. It's over 120,000 words at this point, and the pacing has been miserably slow for the past few chapters. It could be worse though, at least it's been getting updated on a weekly basis. But hopefully you'll enjoy what's coming in the next few updates.

Thank you to everyone out there for reading and reviewing as always. Knowing that people care is always an inspiration. And at this stage with three months of continuous writing I could use all of the inspiration I can get.

* * *

 _Dear Weiss,_

 _I must admit that while I found your last letter most enlightening, I was also very disappointed in what I read. I do not speak of your truancy at Beacon Academy, though to learn of such an act was in itself surprising. Rather I speak of the one thing which is more certain to kill you than even an enemy combatant or creature of Grimm. I speak of doubt._

 _You have been blessed with skills that most others may only dream of possessing. You are armed not only with great physical prowess, but also a keen mind. And for you to throw these assets aside because things did not go your way is not only a waste, but an insult as well. You have failed, Weiss. There is no denying it as even you are well aware of this fact. The question that now presents itself to you is this. What will you learn from your failure? Will you seek to improve yourself and move forward or will you harp on the past and allow it to control you?_

 _Believe me when I say that it is difficult to move forward at times. Even after years away from home there are instances which will stir up unpleasant memories of my past. And given your recent correspondence I can say with utmost certainty that you are also struggling with not only your future, but your past as well. However as I have told you before you must never let emotion guide your path. The hesitation and doubt you feel right now is likely fueled by emotion. Do not let it overpower the potential in yourself and those around you. I know that you can do so much, my dear sister, if you can just believe in yourself. If nothing else take comfort in those words._

 _In the latter part of your letter you mentioned that the Arc boy studied at a combat school known as Siren Academy in Vale. I am afraid that I am unaware of any reasons as to why my people may have failed to include information on such a school. Since I am unfortunately unable to provide any further assistance on the matter I suggest you seek out your answers at the source of your curiosity. Learning new information firsthand is often the best way in doing so. And it is through this method that you are often able to learn the most intimate details about the subject of your interest._

 _Perhaps what you gain from this letter will be just as enlightening as what you shared with me. I hope this proves to be the case. Perhaps we will discuss it in the future._

 _Until the next time we speak, Weiss, take care of yourself._

 _Winter_

* * *

Like so many times in the past Jaune was approaching Beacon's student training area. The sparring chamber was almost like a second home to him with how much time he had spent there since he had begun training with Weiss. If he did not take sleep into account he might even say that he spent as much time there as he did his own dorm room. To him that was a good thing. It showed progress. It showed commitment. And it showed the determination to correct the errors he had already made in his short time here at Beacon.

However unlike most of the times in the past Jaune would not be fighting today. He had not fought or trained with Weiss for several days. Not since the incident in the Emerald Forest. That did not mean he had not attempted to perform his routines and exercises on his own, but it simply seemed to be lacking without the presence of the pale-skinned heiress at his side. Alone he sometimes struggled to tell if he was doing things properly even with the aid of the Atlesian Fencing book he was studying. Despite all of her harsh remarks about him and his character Jaune did appreciate Weiss and the knowledge that she brought to their sessions.

Today would be another instance of "people watching" as some called it. Weiss had stressed from the beginning that one could tell a lot about someone's personality by their fighting style and vice versa. That was why it was essential to study their peers and attempt to learn as much about them as they could through their combat techniques. She had been able to read him, after all. From the very first time she had seen him fight against Cardin near the beginning of the semester she had an accurate assessment of just who he was as a person. He had been weak. Scared. Passive. His primary strategy had been to hide behind a shield and give up all forms of initiative to the enemy. But what even she had failed to figure out was why he was like that. She had her theories, and some of them were almost correct. What she had failed to discover his biggest secret of all.

As Jaune opened the door he heard the sounds of combatants fighting on the hard tile surface of the room. Boots impacted on the floor and appendages struck out and blocked one another with lightning speed. Here were young men and women who had been training nearly their entire lives for this very moment. For the chance to become defenders of humanity. How many of them would succeed, Jaune wondered. How many would die?

Making his way down the aisles of seats Jaune saw the familiar off-center ponytail of pure white hair sitting near the front. She was on time as always. Probably early in fact. Weiss was not the kind of person to show up to an appointment at the last possible moment like he was. It would not surprise him if she had already been here for twenty minutes. Checking his scroll it was a minute after five o'clock. Better than usual.

He took a seat near her making sure to leave an empty chair between them. She enjoyed her personal space. It was one of the many tiny things he had picked up on about the girl in the time they had spent together. Had he sat down right next to her he was sure that she would have either made some quip about there being plenty of empty seats around them or simply stood up and moved over one without a word.

She turned to look at him after he had settled in. "You're late," she said with a familiar accusatory tone.

Jaune looked at his scroll again. It was only 5:02. Yes he was technically late, but was it really necessary to point it out? He smiled and had to stifle a laugh. Or course it was necessary. Look who he was speaking to.

Weiss picked up on his amusement and narrowed her eyes. "What." she snapped.

He shrugged, the smile still present on his face as he looked down to the floor. "It's nothing."

The girl wasn't buying it. Why would she when even he knew that he had such a terrible poker face? And if he knew this then there was no doubt that she knew as well. In the end she decided not to press the issue, probably figuring that such a petty issue was not worth the effort of pursuing.

It did not stop her from making one final comment, however. "Try and be more self-aware."

Jaune wanted to argue that it had only been two minutes, but he, much like what he believed about her, did not feel it was worth the effort. Instead he accepted the suggestion and decided to let it end there. "Sure."

A brief moment of silence settled over the two with the only noise coming from the arena. However this was cut short when a new sound began making its presence known. Hearing a tapping noise coming from underneath them, Jaune looked down to see Weiss' foot gently kicking against a large paper bag sitting at her feet. Whether or not she was even aware of the fact that she was doing it was unknown, but he could only assume it was an unconscious action. It was something he could imagine Ruby doing if she was nervous about something. Wait, did that mean that Weiss was nervous? About what? If she was she certainly was not showing it in her words.

"Weiss?" he asked. The girl turned, her icy eyes providing him no insight as to what she may have been thinking. He pointed a finger down to her feet. "You doing alright?"

She looked to her left foot which had just finished its latest tap on the bag. In an instant she pulled her legs back closer to her. Too close, in Jaune's opinion. Like she was overcompensating for a moment where she had lost control of her actions.

Weiss reached down and snatched the bag in one swift motion. "I'm fine," she said. She took a deep breath before shoving her arm out toward him. "Here."

Jaune reluctantly took the bag, his eyes wary as he looked at her. "Another gift?" he asked.

She exhaled sharply, blowing an errant strand of hair which had landed on the scar from her face. "Is there a problem?" she asked in turn.

Laughing as he held the bag to his chest, Jaune shook his head in amusement. "No. None at all. But if you keep showering me with gifts I might start getting the wrong idea."

What an idea it would be. Jaune was surrounded by girls who were totally out of his league. And Weiss was perhaps the prettiest of them all. While he didn't consider himself ugly he didn't consider himself to be the type of guy that girls were looking for either. His tallness would only take him so far. As would his false confidence. While he was improving in his fighting skills he was still far below the level of even the weakest of the first year students at Beacon. And in his mind at least, girls wanted guys who played the traditional archetype male role. Someone who was strong and possessed true confidence. Someone who could defend and provide for a family. It was some sort of basic human biological trait which the species had evolved with. Or so he had heard.

As if she had been reading his thoughts Weiss scoffed seemingly in disgust. "Please. You're not my type."

Jaune already knew the answer, but he wanted to hear it from someone else. Because maybe she would say something different. "And what is my type?"

She paused for a second. One second became two. Three. Four. After a few more she finally answered. "A fool," she said harshly. "An idiot. A joke. Some girls may find the whole 'innocent stray puppy' thing attractive, but I don't."

It was hardly the first time he had been compared to the animal. Jaune recalled one of their first meetings at Beacon when he had run into her wearing his Pumpkin Pete pajamas. She had referred to him as a sad lost puppy. And he himself had felt like one when she scolded him for eating beef jerky when she had specifically instructed him not to. Was that really what he was? A disobedient dog? He supposed there were worse things she could have called him.

Seeing how she was already on the verge of being flustered following the bag incident Jaune pressed his luck. "Oh so you're into bad boys?" he asked. "That's good because I'm bad at everything!"

He winced and then closed his eyes at the utterance of the line. That was bad even for him. One might even call it a Yang-level pun. It had sounded much better in his head. In that moment he had done a fine job of insulting himself better than she possibly could have.

As he slowly opened an eye expecting the worst, Jaune saw the girl looking away from him rather than at him. There was no threatening glare. No angry scowl. Only the back of her head which made it a little more difficult to hear the soft words she spoke. "Idiot," she stated flatly. "You're an idiot." She paused a moment before continuing. "And yes, you are bad at everything," she agreed.

Jaune smirked. "You know considering all the bad stuff you say about me, you've kept me around for a while. Are you sure there's not something I should know about?"

The murderous gaze of the heiress returned as she spun around to look him in the eye. "Maybe I've just always wanted a pet dog," she said harshly.

The comment earned a grimace from the boy. "Ouch." What more could he say?

"Just hurry up and open the stupid bag," Weiss ordered.

Jaune nodded before opening it and peering inside. His heart skipped a beat as he saw what was at the bottom. Could it actually be what he thought it was?

He pulled out a folded piece of black clothing before dropping the bag to the floor. He let it unfold in his hands in front of him, and surely enough there it was. His hoodie which he thought had been lost by the hospital staff. Or rather thrown out. Even after telling them that he wanted to save the ruined garment he figured that they had forgotten and gotten rid of what they deemed to be no longer wearable. But here it was. Different from how it was before, but intact. It was better than intact, in fact. It was restored.

The body of the clothing was a faded black shade that had seen many trips to the washing machine. He had gotten his money's worth, or rather his box top's worth from the clothing. It was a part of him just as much as Crocea Mors was. But as his eyes traveled to the long sleeves of the garment he saw what was different. That material was new. Dark. Unworn. It had been sewn onto where his old sleeves had been torn off. And it looked great. Perfect, even. As if it had been professionally done.

"I thought this was gone," he said. "I thought the hospital staff threw it out."

"It seemed important to you," she said with what seemed like disinterest. Her tone betrayed no emotional investment in words which should have carried some. "I couldn't just leave it how I found it. Not after everything that happened."

Jaune turned to look at the girl sitting beside him, a look of pure surprise etched on his face. "You... did this for me?" he asked. "Had it fixed?"

A tiny shrug of her shoulders was the extent of her physical reaction as she looked away. "Yeah, well. It's not like repairing it was difficult or anything," she said dismissively.

The way she spoke almost sounded like she had first-hand experience with its restoration. Did that mean...

"Wait, you did this yourself? You didn't send it off somewhere else to get fixed?"

The foot of the heiress that began lightly tapping the floor was all of the answer that Jaune would have needed. But again it appeared as if Weiss did not even realize she was doing it as she spoke. "Of course I did it myself," she said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. The familiar confidence of the pale-skinned girl returned with those words. "Do you think stitching of that quality can be done by some assembly line worker?"

Jaune knew nothing of sewing despite having seven sisters. He could dance like a professional and cook to a reasonable extent, but sewing was one skill he had never picked up on. Despite this he could still tell that the work that was done here was good quality. Probably amazing quality if Weiss herself was responsible for it. She was a perfectionist after all.

"No," he said with a smile. He looked down at the cartoon rabbit on the front of the hoodie. "I guess not. I'm just surprised you know how to do this."

"And why is that?" she asked making no attempt to hide the defensiveness in her voice.

"Well you're... uh," he said as he struggled to put his reasoning into words. "You're rich," he finally said. "I figured there would be people to do things like this for you."

He saw her expression turn somber for a moment before returning to normal. "That's exactly why I wanted to learn," she said softly. "To not be dependent on other people. To not have to rely on my..." she trailed off as she looked back to the sparring arena. "Looks like this one is nearly over.

Jaune was about the question the sudden shift in topics before he remembered where he was. He focused on the arena again, almost having forgotten that it was even there. In fact he had almost forgotten why he was here at all.

The two students who were down below them were wrapping up their sparring session. They were both members of Team CRDL. The first was Russel something-or-other. He would recognize that ugly green hair anywhere. He was facing off against one of his teammates, Dove what's-his-face. Jaune didn't particularly care to learn the last names of those people. They weren't his friends. Far from it, in fact. They were the teammates of the boy who had been making his life at Beacon miserable for some time now.

However what was strange was that the bullying seemed to have subsided somewhat. Yes there were still instances. But they had decreased in frequency over the past couple of months. Curiously enough it had been around the same time that he had started training with Weiss. Perhaps Cardin realized that he was getting stronger and decided to back off a little bit. Jaune shook his head at the thought. Did he honestly believe that someone was large and imposing as Cardin Winchester was intimidated by him? Probably not. Maybe Cardin was just getting bored, and rather than going out of his way to sneak a shot at Jaune only took one when an opportunity presented itself.

Jaune was shaken from his thoughts when Weiss spoke again. "And now comes the main event."

He looked to see Russel and Dove leaving that arena floor and two more people stepping onto it. Sky whoever-he-was and Cardin Winchester himself completed the CRDL quartet.

Jaune turned to see Weiss' chin resting atop her folded hands, her elbows propped up on her knees. She was taking in the upcoming fight with seemingly great anticipation. He decided that he should probably do the same and focused his attention on the two combatants.

The long-haired Sky carried a huge halberd which seemed impractical to fight with. But Jaune was not about to judge the boy. He had made it this far with the weapon. His dull grey armor nearly matched the color of his hair, and overall his muted color palette fit in well with the rest of Team CRDL. The only one who truly stood out on the team was Cardin himself.

The leader of the team's silver armor was trimmed with bronze in places, but it was the bird emblazoned on his chest that grabbed the viewer's attention. The dark red belt also seemed like a deliberate attempt to draw eyes toward him. Jaune wondered if the choice in attire of his subordinates was by choice or pressed on them by their leader.

Cardin hefted his large mace and began to pace back and forth like a caged animal. It was just as he had done in their only fight with one another way back at the start of the semester. The large boy's head was on a swivel, constantly moving and never taking his eyes off of Sky as he walked and turned around to go back the other way.

"What do his mannerisms tell you?" Weiss asked.

So focused was she on the impending duel below that she had not turned to look at him when she spoke as she usually did. Jaune could only assume this was because of this specific situation they were in rather than any sort of breach of her etiquette. Because there were certain situations where it would be hazardous, if not fatal to take your eyes off of what they should be focused on.

Jaune watched the larger of the two stalk his prey with his mace slung over a shoulder. "He's confident," he pointed out.

"Yes," she agreed. "Too confident."

The practice match began and both teens watched as Cardin casually walked forward. At least now his mace was off his shoulder, and he carried it lazily at his side. However Jaune knew better than most people just how quickly the larger boy could swing his massive weapon. It looked unwieldy and Cardin carried himself in an almost careless manner which gave him no starting momentum when he decided that it was time to attack. But Cardin needed no such assistance in order to be effective. Jaune wondered how much more effective the boy could be if he took things more seriously.

Sky on the other hand did seem to treating this as more than just a game. The polearm he held in both of his hands was pointed outward toward Cardin. Unlike more traditional halberds which he had read about in his Atlesian fencing book, Sky's lacked a sharpened tip at the top of the shaft. Jaune wondered just how he would go about fighting with it.

Jaune leaned forward when he saw Sky backing up slightly. It started with just an inch here and there. But soon he was backpedalling rapidly as Cardin began to close the distance between himself and his teammate. And then from out of nowhere it happened. Cardin took a swing with his mighty weapon which Sky was only jut able to block in time with the shaft of his own weapon. It was just as Jaune had thought about earlier. Cardin's assault could come at any time with no prior warning or preparation.

Once Sky had gotten a bit of distance between himself and his opponent he began to spin his halberd around in his hands. Maybe he was trying to confuse Cardin. Or maybe it was just for show. Jaune didn't know. But in mid-spin he lashed out with the head of the polearm with a horizontal swing which would have taken the head of a Grimm clean off its shoulders. Cardin ducked the attack despite his height and sent a punishing blow to Sky's sternum in response. The long-haired warrior was sent tumbling back by the force that Jaune was all too familiar with.

The blonde boy shook his head slightly at the result of the first engagement between the two combatants. "He's going about it all wrong," he said softly.

Weiss turned her head slightly. Her eyes were still on the fight but her face was halfway looking at Jaune. "Go on," she told him.

He hadn't exactly expected to be put on the spot with his comment. But now was his chance to impress Weiss with what he had learned. His teeth gently pressed into his lower lip as he considered his next words. "Sky's weapon has a reach advantage," he pointed out. "He should be using it to keep Cardin at a distance."

The School of Atlesian Fencing, as Weiss had once pointed out, taught more than swordplay. Polearms were also included. And while Jaune did not use one, and thus did not study the practice, those lessons were included in what had become the most read book in his possession. If nothing else gaining an insight as to how others fought with their own weapons could provide him with an advantage in a fight. In a way it was similar to doing what they were doing now. Studying others. Only instead of purely their weapons Jaune and Weiss were studying the people who wielded them.

"He should," Weiss agreed. "So why isn't he?"

Now they had reached the very core of why they were here studying the people in the first place. To learn personalities based on fighting style. Or fighting style based on personalities. So based on Sky's fighting style, what did that tell Jaune about his personality?

Sky fought defensively. Jaune was more than familiar with that. His steps were almost fidgety as he backed away from the hulking brute who was imposing his will on the training floor. Perhaps he wasn't thinking clearly and thus did not use his weapon's inherent assets to his advantage. Why was this, Weiss had asked.

The answer came to Jaune, again out of familiarity. "He's scared," he said. "Intimidation is part of Cardin's game. He's big. Strong. A jerk. And maybe most importantly, Sky's leader."

He heard Weiss hum thoughtfully. "A leader should be strong and imposing though," she commented. "Shouldn't he?"

Jaune exhaled a long breath through his nose. Ideally, yes. Those were classic traits of a true leader. Someone who would take charge. Someone who would lead by example. Someone who was strong enough to make others want to follow them. But not by force. To be truly effective it had to be by choice.

Even if Jaune was the type of leader who possessed these traits he knew that his team would never amount to anything if he had to force Pyrrha, Nora and Ren to follow him. They would not be an effective unit if they only obeyed him out of fear. But they were a successful team because they respected him. Despite not being the strongest or the smartest of the group his three teammates genuinely cared for him and wanted to follow him. Jaune wasn't sure if he could say the same for Cardin's teammates.

It was a tough question to answer because that answer was not black and white. His response reflected that. "Maybe," he said. "Being strong is only good if it doesn't come at the cost of your team's trust."

Another mighty swing from Cardin's mace sent Sky once more tumbling backwards. The larger boy covered his mouth with a hand as he seemed to yawn. All the while he continued to hold his weapon casually at his side as he paced back and forth.

"And it doesn't help when your leader treats you like that," he added.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw Weiss' head nod. "And what are you learning about Cardin's personality from this little display?"

Jaune almost wanted to laugh. Even someone like him could read Cardin like an open book. He needed no special training or great insight to be able to tell her what kind of person Cardin was. Not after all he had been put through at the hands of his fellow team leader.

"He's arrogant," he stated in what was sure to be a long list of negative attributes. "Arrogant because he's strong. So he doesn't feel like he needs to take fights seriously. He can be lazy. He can take his time. He can humiliate other people. Who knows, maybe it makes him feel powerful by doing what he does to Sky. To m..."

Jaune stopped himself before he finished his last sentence. This wasn't about his past and being bullied by Cardin. It was about studying fighting techniques and the personalities behind them. But Weiss had caught onto what he had been about to say.

"And if he were to continue his bullying of you down there on the sparring floor," she said nodding down to where the action was happening. "How would you react to his actions now as opposed to your first meeting?"

He took a long moment to consider the possibilities. Based on everything he had just said about Cardin he had an idea of what he would do in Sky's shoes. Combined with what he was learning both from Weiss and from his Atlesian book a plan began to form in his mind.

"He's arrogant," he stated again as he looked over to Weiss. He found her doing the same to him. Piercing blue eyes met his own. They looked harder than usual. More serious and determined. "Since he already thinks he's so much better than me I would use that. Draw him in with a fool's guard technique." It felt good to be able to use that term with such confidence. And it felt better to know that he was correct with his choice.

Weiss nodded. Seemingly in agreement with his assessment rather than simply acknowledging his idea. "Then what?" she asked.

Jaune began to rub his chin. He wasn't used to being under such scrutiny from the girl. Even in their normal training sessions she didn't seem this intense. "He's fast, but being that big and wearing that much armor he's still slower than me. I would have to use speed and agility to my advantage. That's what Sky should be doing too."

Another hard smack to Sky's chest was the final blow of the match as the grey-haired boy's Aura meter reached the red. A buzzer sounded and with that the fight was over. Cardin raised his arms up high in victory, leaving Sky to pick himself off of the floor for a final time.

"Sky was doing what you did in your match with Cardin," Weiss said. "He tried to match Cardin's power with his own. And that is a fight which neither of you will ever win."

She was correct in that statement. Jaune still remembered trying to block Cardin's strikes with his shield until his arm was nearly numb. He had been so stupid back then. He never knew how much he didn't know until he had begun his training with Weiss.

"Yeah," Jaune agreed. "I don't know, maybe just try and avoid the attacks. Tire Cardin out. Only go on the offensive after that."

Evasion and avoidance were indeed legitimate strategies. Especially when it came to an unarmored fighter going up against an armored opponent. In situations like that where it was not a fair fight it should not be treated as such.

"Still a strategist I see," she said, her eyes being drawn toward Cardin as she spoke the words. "I'm glad to see you're learning something from our lessons. And that book of yours."

Jaune looked down to the other boy as well. What surprised him was seeing him looking back up at them. Maybe not to Jaune specifically. But to where they were sitting. He was smiling. Was he looking at Weiss? And if so, why?

* * *

Weiss was surprised with the insight and critical thinking that Jaune was putting on display here. Maybe she wasn't a terrible teacher after all. Clearly if he was showing this much improvement after only a couple of months she had to be doing something right. Winter had been correct as always. She should not doubt herself.

But then there was still that other part of her sister's letter. The last part. The one where Winter had not been able to provide any details about Siren Academy. And what was more concerning was how Winter had suggested that she handle the situation. To ask Jaune firsthand. How would she even go about doing that? It wasn't as if she could just come out and ask him about the academy. Accusatory questioning put a person on the defensive even if they were innocent. Little of value could be gleaned from such an approach. But she was a Schnee. And she was a master of manipulation.

She wanted to wince at that last thought. But she knew that she couldn't. Not in front of him.

How would she go about doing it? The lesson was all but over now. Cardin's match had ended. Maybe go back to earlier in the conversation? Lead the conversation naturally to a place where she could discover the answers that she sought. That could work. Weiss decided to press forward with her plan.

"Before you mentioned what kind of a leader Cardin was," she stated. Jaune nodded, remembering what they had been discussing only minutes earlier. "So what kind of a leader are you?"

Jaune snorted a breath amusedly. "Shouldn't you already know that? I thought you were good at reading people."

He had her there. She should have already known. And she did. But she was already one step ahead of him.

"This is not my lesson," she told him. "It's yours. And as such a little bit of introspection can help you discover not only who you are, but who you want to be."

Take his own expectations and use them against him. A valuable lesson to learn growing up in the Schnee household. And now Jaune was about to fall prey to it.

"I guess," he admitted. He shrugged before he spoke, most likely thinking about his answer. "I guess I'm an okay leader," he said. His words were full of uncertainty. "I do my best. Treat my team well. I trust them and they trust me."

 _But do you trust yourself?_ She almost wanted to say those words. Because she did not believe that he did, for whatever reason. But that would not help her to get where she wanted to be. It would force a little too much introspection for right now.

"And where did you learn to be that kind of leader? I remember you saying that you were trained by your father. Did he teach you more than just how to handle a sword?"

He looked down as he always did when family was mentioned. It was his tell. It was what would lose him poker games should he ever decide to play one. At first she had thought it was simply to do with legacy. But Winter's cryptic letter only amplified this mannerism of his and made it stick out more. What was it? What was he hiding?

Jaune rubbed the back of his neck. "Well it's not like there were leadership 101 courses that he had me take or anything," she said with a forced laugh.

 _Don't you try and use humor to deflect my question,_ Weiss thought.

The smile on his face disappeared when he continued with his answer. "It's just... I don't know. I always felt like there were a lot of expectations. A lot to live up to. That's why I try to be so easy and relaxed. I don't want my team thinking that I expect too much from them. I don't want them to feel pressured."

The words sent chills down her spines. Expectations. Pressure. She was all too familiar with them.

She was also familiar with the story he was telling. Back weeks ago he had told her about his own family. The struggle of honoring his family legacy. Upholding the Arc name. Living up to the names which fought with Crocea Mors in the past.

Weiss had once wondered what life would have been like if she had not been born a Schnee. It was in comparison to the lives which Ruby and Yang led. Could she have turned out like Ruby? Could Winter have turned out like Yang?

Now she was wondering what would have happened if Jaune had been born a Schnee. What if she had been born an Arc? Could he have been her father's pawn in her place? Could she have been the bumbling fool instead? Clearly they had similar struggles in life. But their lives had turned out completely different. Was it exclusively because of who they were as people? Or did their families have more to do with it than anything else?

The most important result of his words, however, was that they had completely thrown her off of her intended plan.

"No," she agreed with his assessment. "Expecting perfection from others will only increase their chances of failure." The words sounded bitter because they were. And apparently Jaune had picked up on that tone.

"Seems like you know what you're talking about when it comes to that sort of thing," he said. By now the sparring chamber was empty. They sat alone in the stands looking over an empty arena. "Want to... I don't know. Talk more about it?"

"What's there to talk about?" she asked. Her voice had a bit more of an edge to it than before. "It's like you said. It's difficult meeting the expectations that your family places on you. Like you have be what _they_ want you do be."

"Yeah," he agreed. "It's like you want to impress them so badly. To impress everyone. Even if they're not the ones pressuring you, you end up doing it to yourself. So you end up pretending to be someone that you're not. Like you're..."

"Wearing a mask," she finished for him.

He nodded. "Yeah. That's a good way of putting it."

It annoyed Weiss that she was able to finish that sentence for him. It annoyed her more that he agreed with her choice in words. And it annoyed her most of all just how much he understood her. He of all people was the person she could most easily relate to when it came to her family issues.

And it was for those reasons that her next words slipped from her mouth without a second thought. "You were wrong," she told him.

The confused expression on his face was to be expected. She would have expected no less from such a cryptic statement. But before he could voice his confusion she went on.

"Before," she said as if that clarified anything. "You once said that I was living up to my family name. You thought they were proud of me."

"Yeah," he agreed. "I mean, they are. Aren't they? Look at you," he gestured toward her with a hand. "Weiss Schnee. Top of the class in combat and academic grades. Even training me to become better in your spare time. What's there not to be proud of?"

She thought of herself and her past. And even herself at present day. There was a lot about her of which she wasn't proud of. A lot that others weren't proud of either.

"It's as you said," she stated bitterly. "Expectations. Some _leaders_ don't realize that placing such high expectations on those that they care about will negatively affect them. And they don't care that you want to do something different from what they've decided you should do. That you want to be someone different from who they want you to be!"

She was getting angry now. Such emotions often came to the surface when she thought of her father. Her eyes closed as she attempted to calm herself.

"Weiss?" he asked. The concern was evident in his voice despite not being able to see his face. When she opened her eyes once more she saw him staring at her.

Weiss stopped herself, nearly covering her mouth with a hand before she said anymore. She had slipped. And there had been no hesitation like there had been in the past with Yang. The words had just started to spill from her mouth without the usual filter that kept such thoughts in check.

This hadn't happened with Yang. Weiss had only told the girl the bare minimum about her life. About how she viewed friends and why she didn't have any. And even that had been pushing the limits of her comfort level.

But here and now? There didn't seem to be that weight on her chest telling her to keep her problems to herself. Was it something as simple as being able to relate to him on some mutual level? Maybe. She actually felt somewhat comfortable right now in a way she felt only when speaking with Winter. Was it about their somewhat similar experiences? She didn't know. But it had to stop.

She took a deep breath. Now was not the time to lose control. Now was not the time to get emotional. She had to remember what Winter had told her. Don't let the emotions take control. She had to put her own mask back on.

Knowing that she could not just abruptly end the conversation she sought a way to bring it to a close. Because to leave it hanging here would show weakness. It would show vulnerability. And she had done too much of that already. And it was apparent from how he had said her name that he was concerned for her.

"But you must never let emotions guide your path," she told him, echoing the words from Winter's letter. "They can make you act recklessly. They can make you do things which you will come to regret." She paused briefly before her next words. "And you need to learn to not let your feelings about your family control you."

 _Hypocrite_ , she thought to herself.

Weiss stood from her seat, satisfied that she had concluded the conversation in a way that would give the appearance that she was in control. She had imparted wisdom onto him with her final words. And it was those words that he would focus on rather than how she had lost control.

After taking a few steps she stopped and looked back at him. "By the way," she said, earning his attention. "The bunny is stupid."

Without waiting for a response she set off toward the doors again. A stupid bunny hoodie for an idiot to wear. The two were made for each other.

By the time she had exited through the doors she was once again angry with herself. Not only for showing vulnerability, but for failing to follow through with her plan to learn more about Siren Academy. She had become distracted by her emotions. Exactly as Winter had told her not to do. By the time she had caught herself it had been too late. And just like the last time it all centered around him.

Weiss not only hated her own failure. She hated the fact that she had grown so comfortable around Jaune. And she hated that he was the one who was continuously making her lose control when she knew better.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** I know what some of you are thinking. "Mallobaude, you made Cardin a total dick treating his own teammate like that!" Well, he kind of was. Maybe still is even after volume 3. Something I never noticed until very recently was that in the middle of Volume 2 when Pyrrha was sparring against all of Team CRDL, Cardin smacks Dove in the face with his mace on a back swing during the fight. Was it intentional? I don't know. It looked like it could have been. But at worst it was intentional, and at best it shows that Cardin doesn't show much care or consideration to those around him. Even his own team.

This chapter was another example of where I rewrote a part of it twice in an attempt to be comfortable with it. Because it's a major turning point for Weiss and it needs to be done correctly. It's why I've spent so much time building up her emotional state and her interactions with Jaune, rather than just flipping a switch and her suddenly thinking about him with a different perspective. Because I hate it when other stories do that.

So hopefully the whole thing turned out alright. Questions, comments or concerns? Let me know what you think. Constructive criticism is always welcome, because I'll never get better without knowing what I need to get better at.

I hope you enjoyed the chapter.


	16. Chapter 16

**Author's Note:** Have you ever tried to write a scene and just been scared that it wouldn't turn out nearly as well as you pictured it in your head? That's what happened to me here. But that's not the reason I didn't update last week.

There were a number of reasons, including an American holiday and just feeling burnt out. Honestly it felt really good not to have to rush to meet a deadline like I have been the past three months. So I might start doing this whole "every other week" thing more often. Because it gives me more time to write and come up with ideas. In fact I came up with a whole bunch of stuff after I would have usually posted a new chapter. So there's some justification right there! But don't worry, this story will still get updated on a regular basis. I hate it when the stories that I read go for months without an update, and I'm not about to do that to all of you.

But as always I want to thank everyone for continuing to read and review. Three huge milestones were hit since the last update. 60,000 views, 400 favorites and 600 follows. I continue to be amazed every time I get more readers. So thank you for all of your support. It means so much to me.

Hopefully you enjoy the chapter.

* * *

Progress was such a beautiful thing.

And he wasn't talking about the progress of humanity either. Sure, the technological advancements of Atlas were extraordinary. The thick and tall walls of Vale were life-saving. And the cultural luxuries of Mistral made a Grimm-filled world a much less grim place to live. But progress like this was all around him all the time. It was so ingrained in his life that he could hardly even notice it anymore. Only when things changed did he learn to not take them for granted.

No, the progress which was currently on his mind hit much closer to home.

Jaune sat in one of Beacon's training rooms this afternoon working on his strength training. Today was biceps and leg day. And one should never skip leg day. Currently he sat on one of the benches working on a set of biceps curls with one of the free weights. It still amazed him just how far he had come in only a few short months.

When he had started out this weight program he had been pretty weak. It stung him in particular because there were plenty of girls in his class who were stronger than him. That didn't just hurt him from a huntsman standpoint. It hurt him from a gender standpoint as well. Like it or not he had it in his mind that because he was a man that he should be strong. And what little pride he had was crushed when he realized just how weak he was in comparison to many of his peers. But that had only provided him with inspiration. It gave him the incentive to work harder than most people in his situation would have worked. Because he wanted to be strong. He wanted to be a warrior. He wanted to impress others. Especially the ladies.

Completing the last rep with his left arm he uncurled it and let the weight fall to the ground before him. His biceps along with a couple of other muscles he didn't quite remember the names of burned and ached from the activity, but that just made him feel even better about himself. When he stood up he began to bend his arms and smiled as they almost felt weightless after his lifting session. He approached one of the many mirrors in the room to examine the progress that he was so proud of.

His muscles always looked the biggest right after a workout, so he would not miss out on this opportunity. Jaune rolled up the sleeve on his right arm so that he could fully examine the results and take pride in his work.

"What are you looking at?" he asked to no one in particular. "You want a piece of this, Beowolf?" He closed his fists and adopted a fighting stance before throwing a few punches toward the mirror. "Yeah I'll take you on unarmed. I'll tear that jaw right off your stupid face."

He flexed a few more times and smiled to himself. Never in his wildest dreams did he imagine that he could look like this. While he was by no means buff and overly muscular like Cardin, he was no longer the scrawny weakling that he once was. His arms were toned from the months of work he had put into his workouts. And if he were able to see other parts of his body like his legs and abs he would imagine that they would be in pretty good shape as well. However he was not about to strip down in the middle of one of the school's training rooms.

Jaune nodded to himself before he dropped into another fighting stance, this time pretending to be holding Crocea Mors and his shield. "What's that, Mr. Ursa? You look a little bit lost. Here, let me _point_ you in the right direction."

He simulated the very first technique that Weiss had taught him, using his left arm to bash his shield against the imaginary Ursa before driving the tip of Crocea Mors into an exposed vital area of the creature. "That's right," he said with the unrestrained bravado that came with having the room to himself. "You don't mess with me or my friends."

"Looking good, stud!" a new voice from the entrance of the room shouted.

Jaune jumped in surprise and embarrassment before swiftly turning to see the source of the sound. Yang stood near the doors with her arms folded across her chest and the most amused grin he had ever seen plastered on her face.

He quickly tried to regain his composure and look casual, stretching his arms and walking a few steps towards the rack of weights. But he knew that is was pointless. Yang had caught him off-guard and seen his little performance.

"Uh, hey, Yang," he greeted. The quiet embarrassment in his tone could be heard despite how hard he tried to mask it with false confidence.

"What's up, Jaune," she replied as she began walking toward him.

He raised an eyebrow at the unusually normal way she addressed him. "You didn't call me vomit boy," he commented.

The blonde girl shrugged. "Yeah well, you know. Variety is the spice of life and all that."

Jaune couldn't argue with that. It seemed that nine out of ten times that they interacted Yang would refer to him as vomit boy. It was a name he had earned on his very first day at Beacon Academy and it had stuck, much like said vomit had stuck to her shoes. Thankfully she was the only person who still called him by the name.

"So what brings you here?" he asked.

"Oh, you know. Just here to study a little bit for that exam in Port's class that's coming up," she told him. He was about to raise the question of why she was doing that here but she continued before he had the chance to speak. "I'm here to work out, dummy," she said with a smile. "What else would I be doing in a weight room?"

"Oh yeah, heh," he laughed nervously. "I guess that makes sense."

Jaune watched as she walked over to one of the numerous padded benches, this particular one with a bench press rack near one of its ends. Yang began attaching large plates to the bar which was resting on the metal rack. He could not tell just how heavy the plates were, only that it was more than he had ever dared to lift. Suddenly he felt a little less proud of himself and his accomplishments. Yang was more powerful than he could ever imagine being.

"Do me a favor and spot me?" she asked as she sat down. At the same time she began doing a series of arm stretches to aid in warming up.

He took a few steps in her direction before speaking. "Uh, sure. Just so you know I've never actually done anything like this before."

Yang continued the stretching motions, seemingly unfazed by his admission. "It's nothing," she said dismissively. "All you have to do is stand over me and be ready to help if I can't finish a rep."

"Oh," he said simply. That sounded easy enough. But it never hurt to be sure. "How do I know if you can't finish?"

She smiled. "If it looks like the bar is about to fall and crush my throat, you'll know."

Again, it sounded easy enough. He nodded in acknowledgment. "Sure. Ready when you are."

Jaune moved to stand behind where Yang's head would lay. At the same time she straddled the bench before laying back on it, her head below the bar. She took a few deep breaths, her hands and fingers flexing as the gripped the bar in preparation for lifting it.

When Yang did lift it she made it look easy. It astounded Jaune. He knew that her Semblance had something to do with getting stronger, but even now out of battle and without the benefit of her fiery hair she seemed to have twice his strength. Each time she thrust her arms back up she exhaled heavily, but it was not out of weariness or breathlessness. Jaune looked again to the sides where the heavy metal plates hung and could not help but be amazed. And then he made his first mistake.

He looked back down to the girl and realized that this position gave him a prime view of the cleavage that she always had on display. Yang was wearing her usual yellow shirt without the tiny brown jacket, and this top did little to conceal her natural assets. And his eyes could not help but be drawn there for a few seconds. It took the clanking of metal on metal to shake him from his thoughts.

"Enjoy the view?" she asked as she set the bar back on the rack and sat up.

"What? I..." he struggled to think of words. He hadn't even realized how long he had been looking. Jaune mentally chastised himself.

Yang's resulting laughter was a welcome relief from the reaction he had been expecting. "Maybe I should start calling you pervert boy instead of vomit boy," she teased.

"Wait, no!" he nearly yelled. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to. It's just-"

"Calm down, Jaune," she said with another laugh. "I'm just kidding. You think you're the first to sneak a peek? Although you were doing anything but sneaking..."

Whether Yang found it humorous or not Jaune still felt bad. She was his friend. The last thing he wanted to do was make her uncomfortable to be around him. Or make it seem like she was some sort of sexual object to him. Because he couldn't imagine some other guy doing that to one of his sisters. He may not have been the strongest man or the bravest fighter, but if someone tried to treat any of his sisters like a piece of meat he would crush them without mercy.

"I know. I'm still really sorry though."

"Relax," she said again before standing up. "I know you're a decent enough guy who doesn't just think of me as a floating pair of tits." She laughed at her own joke. "And I think it's totally adorable that our little Jauney is growing up and starting to notice women. Maybe this means you'll be able to grow some chest hair soon!"

"Hey, I have chest hair!" he protested. "It's just blonde so it's hard to see. Not that you've ever even seen my bare chest anyway... have you?"

"Nah. Not yours," she said casually. He gave her a strange look before she continued. "Trust me, I've done my fair share of checking out guys here at Beacon. Remember the main hall the first night?" Jaune could have sworn that he saw Yang lick her lips as she reminisced about the night before initiation. "It was a little too hard to get past the whole baby blue bunny onesie you were wearing though."

"Hey, don't dis Pumpkin Pete," he said, unable to keep the defensive edge from creeping into his voice.

His attempt to be serious only seemed to amuse her even more. "Oh I'm so sorry. And here I thought we were seventeen, not seven."

He shrugged. "There's nothing wrong with being sentimental about some stuff. One of my sisters made them for me."

Yang returned the shrug with one of her own. "I guess that's cool. A shame Ruby was never skilled with that sort of thing. She was always too into weapons and fighting instead of the stereotypical girly stuff. I might just wear something she made for me as long as it wasn't too embarrassing."

"Yeah, I can't imagine Ruby sewing," Jaune added.

"Speaking of sewing," Yang said with a smirk. "And speaking of Pumpkin Pete, guess what I saw a certain heiress doing about a week ago?"

Jaune knew the answer. But what puzzled him was why Yang found it so amusing. He supposed that answering was the only way to find out.

"Fixing my hoodie," he said knowingly.

"Fixing your hoodie," she confirmed. "Strange, don't you think?"

"Why would I think it's strange?"

"I guess you would have had to be there," Yang said as she moved over to another bench. She lifted the rear portion of it up to be able to lean her back against it. "When I found her doing it she was all alone in our room, and she scrambled to hide it while attempting to look casual."

Weiss had seem more flustered and embarrassed than usual when she had presented him with his repaired clothing. He knew that she was not the type to normally open up to others. She was not the type to care about sentimentality. So to be caught with his hoodie and caring about both it and him would probably be quite uncomfortable for the heiress.

"She felt bad about it getting wrecked because of our lesson," he said in her defense. Normally he would have loved an opportunity to take part in poking fun at Weiss. But not this time. Was it because he wasn't the one doing it? "So she felt it was her responsibility to fix it."

"So you say," Yang said before grabbing a pair of dumbbells. She held them above her head before they lowered with her bending elbows. After bringing them back up with a long exhale she continued. "Anything going on between you two?"

There was plenty going on between them. Just not in the way that Yang was thinking. Even if he had made the joke himself the other day during one of their people watching lessons, it was just that to him. A joke. The last thing he needed was Weiss getting upset because other people were gossiping and spreading rumors.

"We're just training," he stated. "That's why I'm here in the first place," he said motioning to the weight room. "Part of my training with Weiss."

"Yeah, I've noticed you've been bulking up," Yang said before completing another repetition. "So has your manly physique impressed our little Ice Queen yet?"

Jaune rolled his eyes. "You know it hasn't."

He had lost count long ago of how many repetitions Yang had completed. But she was still able to speak normally without any strain in her voice. "Are you sure? Even a girl like her has Schneeds, you know."

A pained groan escaped his lips at the terrible pun. "How are you able to think of that garbage even when you're lifting?"

"You act like it's hard," she said before sticking her tongue out mockingly at him. "Besides, I'm a great multitasker."

"And what a shame to have such a great ability wasted on puns."

"Someone's jealous," she said. A second later she dropped the heavy weights down onto the padded floor. "Speaking of which, are you sure your 'training partner'," she said with air quotations. "Won't get mad at us spending time together here alone?"

Jaune sighed. He had grown nearly immune to Weiss' barrage of insults. He could handle being called a fool, an idiot, or worse. But he was not used to this kind of teasing.

"Look, it would be awesome if she looked at me like that," he admitted. "She's beautiful and amazing. She's a talented huntress and she can even sing. But I'm not about to get my hopes up. Not when she's so far out of my league. I'm nothing more than a charity case to her."

Yang stood up and faced him. "Actions speak louder than words, pervert boy." She stopped and tilted her head in thought. "I kinda like the sound of that..." she mused.

"No," he said sharply. "Please, no. Vomit boy will be just fine. I _like_ vomit compared to that."

"Well aren't we learning all about your secret fetishes," Yang smirked. "Oh, has Weiss confessed all of her deepest and darkest secrets to you yet?" The smirk had developed into a full-blown grin. "I bet she totally loves porn. There's no way someone as proper as her can exist without there being something huge that she's hiding."

"No, there's no porn!" Jaune insisted. He never thought that he would actually ask this, but right now it was a better option than discussing Weiss' non-existent secret porn collection. "Can we get back to the whole actions speaking louder than words thing?"

Yang pouted. "You're no fun today." After a dramatic sigh she continued. "Anyway, a girl won't go out of her way to spend time with a guy for days, or in your case months if she's not doing it for a reason. And a girl definitely won't sew his favorite wrecked hoodie back together because he doesn't mean anything to her. At least on some level."

What Yang said was true. There was indeed a reason. And he knew that reason.

"Yeah, she's helping me for the benefit of my team," he told her. "Because in the end we're all huntsmen and huntresses fighting on the same side. Helping me out is helping out humanity."

The blonde's arms folded across her chest as she hummed to herself. "If you say so, Jaune. If you say so..."

He knew that her reply was not meant to acknowledge that he was right. He could almost feel the sarcasm that was dripping from the words. Clearly there would be no changing her mind. Even if she wasn't actually serious there would still be nothing he could do to stop her teasing. And seeing how he had already put in a good amount of work before she had arrived, he decided that now was as good of a time as any to head back to his room. He stank and was in need of a shower.

"Well I'll leave you here alone to think about your theories and stuff," he said as he sniffed an armpit for dramatic effect. "I need to go take a shower and get into some clean clothes."

"Want to give me your dirty shirt? I can make sure it gets into Weiss' hands so she can enjoy that manly odor of yours."

Jaune just closed his eyes and shook his head from the mental imagery Yang had created. "No. I'm good."

When his eyes opened he saw the toothy grin plastered on Yang's face, no doubt a result of the tired and defeated tone of his voice. For some odd reason his thoughts turned to Blake. Poor, innocent Blake. Stuck on a team with an immature blonde joker, her hyperactive little sister, and a high-maintenance heiress. He wondered what the dark-haired girl must have done in her life to deserve such a fate.

"Alright, see ya later, vomit boy!"

Jaune waved without a word before walking off toward the doors.

After pushing through he felt a wave of fresh air hit him as he stepped outside. It felt wonderful compared to the stale, smelly air of the weight room.

Yang was insane. He already knew this. But even he did not expect her to be filling his head with crazy ideas of Weiss having feelings for him. With the way the heiress had been treating him over the past several months there was no way that could possibly be true.

No, what Weiss was doing for him was for the reason she had said all those months ago. Back when they had started he was a liability for his team. And he knew that. She was helping both his team and the rest of humanity by helping him. Maybe she was interested in being his friend, as he had theorized long ago. He knew that he would eventually break through her icy exterior, and perhaps he had. However anything beyond just being friends was something he would not expect.

As Jaune stepped into the dormitory he could hardly wait to get into the shower. The back of his shirt was wet with sweat from his warm up jog and lifting session. And despite the fact that he had used ample amounts of deodorant he still stank. While he knew that the odor did not offend Yang, he did not want to run into anyone else he knew before he was clean.

Jaune reached the stairwell and started up the stairs quickly, sometimes taking two at a time. After the workout his legs ached with the stress of his muscles stretching and contracting so quickly, but truthfully it hurt so good. It was just another example of his progress. The pain meant that it was working. And his Aura would alleviate the aches in no time.

His pace lessened once he reached his floor. As he strode down the hall nearing his room Jaune noticed a woman standing near the doors of both his and Team RWBY's rooms. He had never seen her before, but there was something about her which seemed strangely familiar.

Clad in white with neatly tied hair to match, the woman turned and looked at him as he approached. She took a few steps forward in his direction as well.

As Jaune grew nearer he realized that she was looking at him. And not merely a glance here and there as she looked in his general direction. No, those eyes were staring directly at him. Those... cold, blue eyes.

When he reached her he could not help but speak up. She was still looking at him. "Um, hi," he said with as much confidence as he could muster.

The woman nodded her head slightly in greeting before she spoke. "Greetings, Jaune Arc. My name is Winter Schnee."

* * *

"He's hiding something, Blake," Weiss stated confidently. "I just know it."

The black-clad girl sitting across the table looked up from her textbook. Amber-colored eyes looked at her with what appeared to be a mixture of annoyance and indifference.

What had begun as an impromptu study session at Beacon's library was quickly turning into little more than an excuse to engage in petty teenage gossip. Only to Weiss it was not petty at all. Something about Jaune wasn't right. That much had been made clear from his reaction when she had attempted to dig deeper into his past. To learn more about his family. To learn more about his training.

That had been before she had lost control. When the carefully constructed barriers she built around herself had broken down out of nowhere. And as usual it had been _his_ fault. That annoying blonde boy had a habit of forcing her emotions to bubble to the surface. Did every blonde she knew serve no other purpose than to be a thorn in her side? First Yang, now Jaune. Would the next blonde she met also be nothing more than an annoyance to her? Only time would tell.

"Why do you even care?" Blake asked. "So what if he's hiding something from you?"

Blake didn't understand. Of course she wouldn't. The dark-haired girl may have been quiet and mysterious, but she had not been surrounded by drama her entire life. She didn't know what it was like to have to hide who she truly was because of her past. No, Blake would never understand. But Weiss would try and educate her nonetheless.

"Because I don't like surprises," she said softly. It as a library after all. It would not be proper to raise her voice in anger or frustration again. "And I don't like people who keep secrets from me."

Being raised in the upper echelons of Atlesian society had done much to mold Weiss into the young woman that she was today. It was a world of intrigue and politics. A world of backroom deals and plotting in order to advance one's own standing. And while her father was already at the pinnacle of the mountain, so to speak, that did not mean that he could sit idly by and expect to keep his position and wealth. Because the rich only remained rich through effort. It was through those efforts that Weiss had become just another pawn in the great game.

Where Weiss came from secrets could be used against her. They could be used to harm her. It was just another reason she did not have friends. She never knew who was being used or paid in order to get close to her. To learn secrets about her and her family. Again, secrets that could be used against them. To constantly have to look over her shoulder and wonder if everyone she met was just using her as her father had done had drained her of the love and trust she had once had for others. Now those feelings were reserved for only a handful of people in her life.

But of course Blake didn't know this. No one did. She had not even discussed it with Yang or Ruby.

The girl's question spoke volumes of her ignorance. "Aren't people entitled to have their secrets?"

Weiss shook her head. "Not when they affect me."

Blake hummed before looking back down at her book. "Maybe we should get back to our assignment."

It was a good idea. There was no need to get needlessly emotional again. Weiss felt incredibly stupid for being caught off-guard as she had been the other day. But now she was with Blake. Calm, reserved Blake. There was no stupid Jaune around to make her do or say something that she would later regret. Blake was someone she could predict. And that put her at ease.

"That's what I like about you," Weiss said as she looked back down at her own book. "You're very straightforward. And not a complete basket case like our two teammates."

"What a ringing endorsement," Blake deadpanned.

"I mean don't get me wrong," she continued. "Ruby and Yang have grown on me." She paused, trying to figure out a way to put it in the proper context. "In a bacteria on a sponge sort of way. But when it comes to clear-minded, levelheadedness you're the only real option."

The other girl blinked a few times, her eyes not leaving her reading material. "You really know how to make a girl feel appreciated."

"And plus if I were to try and discuss Jaune and his training with somebody like Ruby, she would probably run off and unintentionally tell him I was curious about him."

The leaders of Teams RWBY and JNPR were closer than most other people who were not on the same team. They had become friends on the first day of attending Beacon Academy and since then their bond had only grown stronger. Ruby had even been babbling about some sort of "leader team-building meetings" with just her and Jaune in order to come up with strategies to help strengthen their teams. Whether or not these meetings had ever actually taken place was not known. But knowing her hyperactive partner she would not be surprised if they actually had.

Weiss' fingers began rhythmically tapping the table. "I don't even know how someone like him got to be a team leader in the first place. Ruby I'm starting to understand. She's a talented fighter for someone her age. But him? I mean have you ever seen one of our training sessions?"

Blake looked up from her book once more. "You're doing it again."

"Doing what?"

Those feline-like eyes looked into her own ice-blue orbs. "Talking about Jaune."

The tapping fingers turned into a fist which pounded down onto the table before she let it rest there. "I just don't like secrets, okay? He's way too dodgy when it comes to his past. About his family. And I'm going to find out why. I tried to be subtle before, but apparently that's not going to work."

Blake snorted a tiny laugh. "If this is your idea of subtlety I can see why it didn't work."

"No," Weiss said defensively. "This is not my idea of being subtle."

The normally reserved girl let out a sigh. "Look, maybe you should just leave it alone. Sometimes people keep secrets in order to protect those they care about. Maybe that's all he's doing?"

Unacceptable. She could not imagine the number of hours she had spent with the boy over the past few months. She had seen, spoken to and trained with him on a daily basis. Someone who was that close to her, someone that familiar with her, was not allowed to keep secrets from her. Maybe it was simply a product of her upbringing. But she had to know for certain that he was not a threat to her.

"No," she said darkly. "There's always a reason behind a secret. And I will discover that reason."

The tone of the conversation had turned serious. Maybe that was why Blake suddenly looked uneasy. Her teammate looked to have a lump in her throat, but it quickly disappeared. At this point the girl could only nod without another word.

Her intention had not been to make Blake feel uncomfortable. "I'm sorry," she said. "You're right. I should stop talking about it for now. We're here to study."

"Right," Blake agreed.

The remainder of their time together was mostly silent. Even if Weiss did want to talk more about Jaune, which she _didn't_ , there was no longer a willing participant there to listen to her complaints and theories. But that didn't matter. She didn't need an accomplice to move forward with her plan.

One way or another she would learn the truth about Jaune's past. Winter had made it a point in her last letter to learn the truth from the source. And that meant spending even more time with the frustrating blonde boy.

* * *

Jaune looked wide-eyed at the woman standing before him. Suddenly things just seemed to fit. Things made sense. That was why she looked so familiar. He could hardly believe he had not made the connection right away.

"S-schnee?" he asked awkwardly. "That means you're related to..."

"Correct," she said calmly. "I am Weiss' older sister."

It was eerie just how much this woman spoke like Weiss. His fellow student would often say 'correct' where a more... normal person would simply say 'yes'. Formality seemed to be just another quality that Winter shared with her sister.

The white military jacket only partially covered her dark blue shirt. By these colors alone he should have figured that she had some relation to Weiss. She was the only girl he knew who wore this combination so often. But it was the hair that stuck out. Like the other girl's it was pure white, only Winter's was shorter and tied up in a bun. A small portion of her bangs hung down the right side of her face. Did every female member of the Schnee family enjoy asymmetrical hair styles?

"So, um, Winter..." He caught himself before he continued speaking. This was Weiss' older sister after all. Maybe she preferred something a little more formal like 'Miss Schnee'. "Is it okay if I call you Winter?"

Her gaze on him was unflinching as she replied. "Winter is fine."

He nodded in acknowledgement. Looking around he was suddenly hit with a number of truths now that the initial shock had worn off. This woman, Weiss' sister, was here at Beacon well after she should have graduated a combat school. Not that he would imply that she was old, she was in fact a very attractive young woman. Probably in her mid twenties if he had to take a guess. But this raised the question, why was she here? Why did she know his name? And why was she speaking to him rather than seeking out Weiss?

The jumbled mess of questions in his mind came out about as eloquently as he would expect from himself. "So, uh," he said uneasily. "Can I help you with anything?"

Jaune saw the woman's nose twitch before she spoke. "You can, Mr. Arc," she said flatly. "I have heard much about you through my correspondence with my sister. And now that I have arrived at Beacon Academy I decided to see just what she has been working with." She took a moment to look him up and down. Jaune felt uncomfortable with those piercing eyes looking so intently at him. "How appropriately... disappointing."

Jaune didn't know exactly what she meant by disappointing. But he didn't need to. The word still stung. And it shouldn't have. He had been treated far worse by Weiss herself. So why was it that the opinion of a stranger bothered him so much?

He raised an arm to rub the back of his neck nervously. That was when his nose was assaulted by the stench of his sweaty armpit. His nose moved at the smell of it. Just like Winter's had...

Jaune exhaled through gritted teeth as he realized that exactly what he did not want to happen was happening right now. The fact that it was with another Schnee made it worse. "Um... sorry," he said softly. "I just got done working out. I kind of smell right now."

The woman looked back at him impassively. She seemed unwilling to comment on the matter, which was a contrast from what Weiss would have done.

He had not been expecting that. In fact he had waited a few seconds for some sort of retort. But when none came he decided to continue. "I'm sorry, I'd love to stay and chat but I really need to get to my room for a shower." He pointed down the hall to the door of Team RWBY's room. "Weiss' room is right over there across from mine. She might be in there right now."

Winter gave a polite nod at the information. "Thank you, but I am afraid that if I were to notify Weiss of my presence right now then I would have no time to conduct my business with you. She can be very..." Winter paused in thought for a moment. "Enthusiastic."

The words made Jaune's mind stop in its tracks. Weiss could be enthusiastic? Were they thinking of the same Weiss Schnee? Wait. She had said something else.

Business? With him? Why? Looking at Winter's face gave no clues as to what her intentions were. The stoic, expressionless look made Weiss' own calm demeanor look amateur in comparison.

"Business?" he asked, vocalizing his thoughts. "What's going on?"

"I prefer to discuss matters of business in private," she said, glancing around to look at the dark grey walls of Beacon's interior. Jaune did the same. The doors that lined the hall could open at any moment to reveal fellow students who Winter may not have wanted to hear what she had to say. Or they could even be listening through the doors right now.

"Oh, sure," Jaune said. "I guess I'll just hold off on the shower for now until we're done."

Weiss' sister raised an eyebrow at the statement. "Oh? And why do you feel the need to change your plans on my behalf?"

Reaching over to rub his arm nervously, Jaune couldn't help but lower his voice when speaking about this subject matter. "It's, well, you know. I'll be in the shower." Winter stared unflinchingly. "To clean myself." There was still no reaction. "Without clothes."

Spelling it out plainly for her finally prompted a reply. "Mr. Arc, while your consideration is appreciated, I do not embarrass easily. When you serve in the military you learn to live in cramped quarters with people of the opposite sex on a regular basis. Please do not deprive yourself of cleanliness on my behalf."

As it turned out it wasn't that Winter didn't get what he was trying to say. She simply didn't care. It was another example of just how different the two young women were. Weiss would have been utterly mortified of even being in the same dorm room as an undressed boy. But Winter carried herself with nothing short of professional indifference.

Still, Jaune had to be sure. "Are you sure? What if someone-"

He was cut off before he could raise his concern, but Winter seemed to know exactly what he was about to say. "As I said, I do not embarrass easily. And I do not care about the false implications one may derive from a perfectly innocent scenario. You are filthy and require a shower. So take one. I will wait in your team's quarters."

Okay, that bossiness was certainly more Weiss-like. Maybe they did share more traits than just their physical appearance.

With a nod Jaune took the last few steps necessary to reach his door before unlocking it and entering. Thankfully it was empty. The last thing he needed was to explain who Winter was and why she was here. Because in reality he only knew the answer to the first part of that.

Inside was a tale of two rooms. Though there was no clear divide as to who "owned" any particular part of the room, one could tell who slept where based on the areas immediately around the beds. Ren and Pyrrha kept both their beds and the floor around them neat and orderly. Beds were made, school books and supplies were organized, and one could tread the ground without being in danger of slipping and breaking their legs.

The beds belonging to Nora and Jaune himself on the other hand were far less impressive. Despite Ren's best efforts Nora's bed was littered with crumbs from eating in bed, often in the dark when everyone was supposed to be asleep. It wouldn't be practical to have some sort of secret pancake stash, so he wondered just where she was getting them at all hours of the day.

Jaune's own bed was currently occupied with a number of books both for school and his own training efforts, along with scattered pieces of paper for both of those causes. Turning back to gauge Winter's reaction, he saw a scrutinizing glare sweep over the room. She was silently judging not just him, but his entire team. Of all the people who had to see his living conditions, why did it have to be a Schnee?

"Well, this is home," he said, unconsciously adding a nervous laugh. "There's... a desk there if you want to sit down."

Winter nodded wordlessly. She continued to stand with her hands behind her back looking around the room.

He laughed softly again. This was beyond awkward. "I, uh, I'm just gonna get some clean clothes together and head over to the bathroom. I'll try not to take long."

"Punctuality is a good quality," she commented.

Jaune didn't know what to make of it. So he just decided to agree. "Heh, yeah." With an armful of clothes he made his way to the bathroom door. "So I'll just be in here if you need me." He stopped as he realized what he just said. "Not that you should come in or anything. Because of, uh, you know. The door will be locked anyway."

"Babbling on the other hand is not."

He winced at the comment. It hurt way more than it should have. However she was correct. He was rambling because of the situation he found himself in.

"Right. Um, be right back."

He stepped inside and shut the door with a foot. After placing his clothes down on the bathroom's vanity he locked the door. He could not forget to do that. There could be no awkward encounters. Not now. Not ever.

As Jaune stood in the shower letting the hot water run down his body he began to think. He found that he did a lot of his best thinking in the shower. It was peaceful. Quiet, except for the steady sound of water shooting down on top of him.

What business could Winter Schnee, a self-proclaimed military woman have with him? Before a few minutes ago he had never even known that the woman existed. And outside of Weiss herself he had never met any member of the Schnee family. But Winter seemed to know who he was due to some letters from Weiss. Why were they discussing him? And just what were they talking about?

He figured that it had to do with his training. That was the only connection he had with Weiss. Winter had mentioned something about what Weiss had been working with in reference to him. Right before she had called him disappointing. And why? What did she know anyway? Winter had known him for all of a minute before reaching that conclusion. If she was simply going by what Weiss had told her then it was certainly a biased opinion. Neither of them knew just how far he had come in a few short months. Neither of them knew that he had started from scratch with little fighting skills and not even an Aura to protect himself with. And now he was out there fighting side by side with Weiss taking down a Beowolf Alpha.

When he had finished he shut off the water and began to dry himself off. The fresh, clean feeling followed by being covered by a nice fluffy towel always made him feel good.

The length of his hair meant that it would take longer to dry, but he did not want to keep Winter waiting. That was when he heard voices coming from the other side of the door. And one voice in particular was loud. What was going on out there?

Jaune opened the door, feeling a chill as the normal, room-temperature air outside hit his body. "Winter is everything okay? There's a lot... of... noise..."

He stepped out to see Ren and Nora standing in the middle of their room with the aforementioned young woman. Ren looked over to him with his usual calm and collected demeanor. Nora on the other hand looked like she was about to explode.

Her head shifted rapidly between Winter and himself. As she did so her eyes widened. "Oh my gosh..." she gasped. "Jaune's hooking up with an older woman!"

Jaune's own eyes widened at the statement. Just as his teammate had just done his own head moved to look at Winter before going back to Nora. True to her word, Winter seemed unfazed by the accusation. And then he looked at himself.

Jaune was clad in nothing but a towel covering the lower portion of his body. He had been so alarmed by the sounds coming from the other side of the door that he hadn't even remembered to dress himself before exiting the bathroom. He blamed the unisex room he shared with his teammates. He was so used to getting changed in front of two girls, with one of them being his partner, that he didn't think much about modesty in the comfort of his own room. But he had to clear this up before it got out of hand.

"What? Older woman?" he nearly screeched. "No, no, no. This is Weiss' older sister."

He realized that his plan failed epically when Nora gasped even louder this time. "Oh my gosh!" she repeated. "Jaune's hooking up with an older woman and it's Weiss' sister! I have to tell-"

The redhead was thankfully silenced as Ren placed a hand over his chatty partner's mouth. However even this did not stop her as she continued mumbling incoherently into Ren's palm.

"Nora, we will not tell anyone what we saw here," he said calmly. "Especially not Weiss. Understood?"

The girl nodded her head, all the while still being silenced by her friend's hand.

When Ren seemed satisfied with the response he removed the hand from her mouth. He grimaced as he looked at his palm before wiping it on Nora's shoulder.

Jaune's eyes squeezed shut with frustration and embarrassment as he sought a way out of this. In a way he could hardly blame Nora for behavior. Not only was it just Nora being Nora, but the current situation was not doing much to help matters. It was not often that any of them brought unfamiliar members of the opposite sex over to their room before disrobing and showering only a few feet away.

And after all, he did have to admit to himself that he was looking pretty good these days. All of the jogging and weight lifting was paying off. It wouldn't be unusual for women to be throwing themselves in his direction. Nora seemed to think so too. He'd have to thank her for the confidence later.

Jaune shook his head. _Shut up, brain!_ he told himself. His mind then went to his second head. _And you shut up too! This is not the time or place to think I'm sexy!"_

Finally he was able to formulate words again, and not a moment too soon. "Guys, no. This isn't what it looks like. Or what you think it is. I just got done with training and needed a shower."

But neither seemed to listen as Ren began ushering Nora towards the door. "It's okay, Jaune. Your secret is safe with us."

Before Jaune could raise another word in protest his two teammates had left and shut the door behind them. His shoulders slumped as he looked down to the floor.

"Perhaps the privacy of your quarters is not an ideal location after all," Winter said, finally speaking up.

Jaune nodded.

"Your school's courtyard will suffice," she said as now she headed to the door.

"Yeah, sure," he said dejectedly. "Why not."

Jaune returned to the bathroom once more and got dressed. This business meeting of theirs was already off to a wonderful start.

After he had finished getting ready Jaune followed Winter out the door and walked beside her down the hall. Glancing over he saw that her hands were clasped behind her back as she walked. Her head was held high and looking straight ahead. The aura of professionalism and confidence she exuded was palpable. Here was a woman who seemed unshakable. Like no matter what life threw at her she would conquer it without hesitation. He wished that he could be like that.

Eventually they made it outdoors, and between the time they had left his room and now not a single word had been uttered. If she was attempting to psych him out before discussing whatever business she had with him, it was working. After that little incident with Nora things were beyond awkward now. And he hoped that it wouldn't take much longer so that Winter could be on her way to go visit Weiss.

Now out in the open Jaune felt like it was safe to speak. He did not want to say anything concerning her "business" with him while still indoors because she had made it clear that she valued their privacy in the matter. And while being outside was hardly private, it was also open and spacious enough so that random passersby would not be able to intrude on their conversation without it being obvious that they were attempting to eavesdrop.

"So..." Jaune began. "You wanted to talk to me about something?"

He saw her nod before a tiny smile crept onto her face. "Indeed," she replied. "But first, please accept my apologies for not speaking in your defense to your teammates." Jaune gave her a strange look, expecting clarification. "The flight from Atlas to Vale is a long one. And seeing you get so flustered was highly amusing. It reminded me a little bit of my sister."

Jaune took a deep breath. That whole situation had been intentional? Or at the very least she had done nothing to aid him simply for her own amusement? Weiss may have been overbearing at times, but she was not unnecessarily cruel! Winter was on an entirely different level.

But he knew that he could not say anything in retaliation to the woman. At least she had apologized.

"Sure. No problem," he lied.

"Moving onto why I am here, Mr. Arc," she continued. "I may be in Vale on official military business, but that does not mean that I am prevented from visiting Beacon to see my sister and the boy she has deemed fit to train personally." She turned her head to look at him. The same icy eyes that Weiss possessed gave him chills. "And in this training your actions have not only caused Weiss to show doubt in herself, but to also admit to fault in her own actions and intentions."

Was she placing blame on him? Did he do something wrong? Was Weiss angry with him? Was Winter angry with him for something going on with her sister? He did not know the answers to any of these questions. But the safest bet was to just apologize anyway.

"I'm sorry!" he said, his voice cracking in the process. "I didn't mean to!"

The ghost of a smirk graced her lips. "Do not apologize. You have done nothing wrong. I merely wanted to see for myself what kind of person was capable of making my dear younger sister act so... uncharacteristic."

Uncharacteristic? Jaune didn't know what she meant by that. It was another word he didn't often associate with Weiss. Just like how earlier Winter had referred to her as being "enthusiastic".

"Uncharacteristic... how?" he asked cautiously.

"You may not have realized this, but Weiss can be very... confident in her abilities." Jaune could have sworn he heard a hint of amusement in her voice. "She also tends to be very reserved with her emotions. And she does place much trust in others." She looked at him once more. "But the letters I have received from my sister have been very interesting in regards to you. With you, Mr. Arc, I have witnessed all of these traits of hers vanish seemingly without a second thought. Do you have any idea why that is?"

The information which Winter had just dumped on him was huge. While he had certainly seen her confidence on a regular basis, her reserved nature was not something he was familiar with. It seemed that around him she was constantly getting annoyed, frustrated or even angry. And it wasn't a lack of fault on his part. He regularly tried to stir such emotions from her. But at the time he had no idea just how rare these outbursts of hers truly were.

Jaune had a feeling that lying to the woman who walked beside him would be pointless, and that she would see right through him. "I may have had something to do with it," he admitted. "I kinda like to... mess with her. To get a funny reaction and stuff."

Winter made no attempt to mask her reaction this time as she chuckled softly. "Then you and I have something in common," she told him. "I have been guilty of taking similar actions on more than one occasion. But in the end it never gets in the way of the affection that she has for me. She is willing to put up with a lot from the people that she cares about. Myself. Her teammates here at Beacon. And now for some reason you as well."

If someone had told Jaune a few weeks ago that Weiss cared for him on some level he would have told them that they were crazy. The constant physical and verbal abuse would have been the proof that she did not. However recently she had shown another side of herself. She had worried about his heath following their training incident in the Emerald Forest. She had spent an entire day shopping with Ruby and purchased him new clothes. And she had even taken it upon herself to mend his wrecked hoodie. Could what Winter was saying be true? Had he finally won his battle of attempting to befriend the heiress?

"Honestly I didn't think Weiss had any emotions other than anger and frustration," he admitted.

Winter smiled. "Weiss puts on a strong face, but she is just as human as anyone else." She looked up at the clouds, seemingly deep in thought as a gentle silence hung in the air. "When we were children she wanted bunk beds. In her mind if we shared a room rather than sleeping separately then we would become closer. However our father would have none of it. Weiss must have cried and sulked for a week until I finally told her that I would always be nearby, and that we didn't need to share a room to be close."

This was most certainly a side of Weiss which Jaune had never known existed. Now he knew what Winter meant by Weiss being "enthusiastic". He doubted that Winter would have been able to get a moment alone had she gone to Weiss before him. It was hard imagining Weiss as an excitable, clingy little sister. It was hard imagining her showing genuine affection for other people. Truthfully it was rather adorable.

Winter dishing out this private knowledge about her sister would probably be akin to her sharing baby pictures of Weiss in terms of embarrassment level. The heiress' face would almost certainly be red right now if she were aware of this information being shared.

"However in time I decided to attend Atlas Academy in order to become a huntress," she continued. There was almost a twinge of guilt in her voice when she spoke those words. "And later to join the ranks of the military. While this meant that we were no longer physically together, I do try and look out for my sister from a distance." Those icy blue orbs of Winter's which had once had a hint of amusement in them had once more turned cold. "Which is why we are having this conversation right now," she said with a tone to match the hardness of those eyes. "As I said, I wanted to know more about this person in Weiss' life who seems to have an ability to make her so unusually emotional."

Jaune felt like he had just been sat down in an interrogation room. Gone was the feeling of reminiscing about the past and sharing humor in Weiss' reactions to their teasing. The casual feel to their conversation had turned professional once more. And dangerously so if his assumptions were correct.

He laughed nervously. "Heh, well, there's not much to say about me really," he said quickly. "I'm just an average guy. Kinda boring really."

"Average people do not set out to become huntsmen," she said. "Tell me about your experiences at Siren Academy."

Red flags were immediately raised in Jaune's mind. He had mentioned the school to Weiss once in the Emerald Forest. That piece of information must have been passed back to Winter in one of Weiss' letters. But now instead of talking to one of his peers about the fake school, he was talking to a full-fledged huntress and soldier in the Atlesian military about it. What could he even say in this situation?

"Well, you know," he said softly. "It was like any other school I'd imagine. You train. Fight. Learn about Grimm. That stuff."

He was screwed and he knew it. Because he had no experiences at a fake academy. All he had to go on was what had taken place at Beacon so far. And honestly what he had said was true about his time here. He did fight and train and learn about Grimm.

"Is that all?" she asked. He could tell she did not buy his story one bit.

And his own lack of confidence was clearly evident in his voice. "Yes?" He had not meant for his answer to sound so unconfident.

Winter let out a soft sigh as she shook her head slightly. "I know you're lying, Mr. Arc," she told him. He took a deep breath. There was no point in fighting. Not against Winter. "Siren Academy does not exist and you have no records from any other combat school in Remnant. I suspect if I were to see the transcripts which you provided to Beacon Academy that they would be very telling about where you came from." She paused for a brief moment. "Or rather, where you didn't come from."

She was too smart for him. And far too resourceful. Jaune could feel his life coming to an end. Everything he had wanted was going to be taken away. In the end maybe it was better that way. No more lies. No more hiding. And no more unnecessary risk. For more people than just himself.

Winter must have taken his silence as a cue to continue. And she did. "While nepotism is hardly rare, especially among families such as ours, I still wonder why you chose to lie to Weiss about this subject."

Was she giving him an out? Even unintentionally? Perhaps he could play off of that and agree with her that he was accepted because of his family name rather than any actual merit. Yes it would be a blow to his pride, but then again did he have any more pride left at all? Liars had no pride. That was why they told lies. And he had told more than his fair share.

No. There could be no more lying at this point. He could not afford to dig this hole he was in any deeper. With his luck Winter would either see right through it or find out on her own in time. She had seemingly taken an interest in him based on his proximity to her sister. And as he had just learned, Winter took her bond with Weiss very seriously. Seriously enough to visit Vale to confront him about his lies. If she found out that he had lied to her again then he did not doubt that she would inflict serious physical harm upon him.

"It's not that either," he admitted. He clenched his jaw thinking about what he should say and how he should phrase it. But in the end it came out about as ineloquently as he would expect of himself. "I... suck." He almost wanted to laugh at just how bad of a confession that was. But he held back the emotions and continued. "I lied to get into Beacon. My Aura wasn't even unlocked before I got here." He threw his hands up into the air in frustration. "I'm a fraud."

For long, tense seconds the only sound between them was the soft clicking of their boots upon the stone pavement of the courtyard. Jaune stole a glance in her direction and saw that she was gazing straight ahead. Her face betrayed no emotion. There was no anger. No shock. No outrage. Winter looked as she always did.

"Indeed you are," she agreed. Apparently she was not surprised by the explanation. "I appreciate your honesty... for once." He winced at that comment. "While I am not familiar with Headmaster Ozpin personally, what I have been told by my superior is that he is rather... eccentric. He is not the type of man who would accept a student as a beneficiary of nepotism. And he is certainly not incompetent. There is a reason you have been allowed to attend this academy. I am not sure what Ozpin's reasons are, but I will respect them. As such I will not be the one who betrays your secret."

Was she... letting him off the hook? He knew that she was a soldier, but did she respect the chain of command so much that she was unwilling to betray what she believed to be the will of Beacon Academy's Headmaster?

He couldn't help but smile in relief. "That's really nice of you," he said softly. However as he continued his voice became more determined. " I'm going to get stronger. I'm going to become a huntsman. I'm going to prove my doubters wrong. And I'm going to make my family proud."

"Do not thank me," she said sternly.

"Huh?"

"Just as a chain is only as strong as its weakest link, a team is only as strong as its weakest hunter," she explained. "As a result of your lie you put my sister in harm's way. So tell me, how long did you think you would be able to play huntsman until someone figured out what I was able to from a different continent? When did you plan on telling Weiss that you are a liar?"

The words once more sent chills through his body. Was that a part of the Schnee Semblance? How did a single family produce such a cold and frightening pair of women? What must their mother be like?

The confidence which had been in his voice only seconds before retreated once more. "I... I don't know," he answered truthfully.

"My sister is a very intelligent young woman," she said. Her gaze was unflinching as she stared at him. Jaune felt like he was being watched by a predator. He could not meet those eyes and was forced to look away. "However she is also young and naive. She believes and trusts in the system. To her the world is black and white rather than shades of grey. This is why she believes that your attendance at Beacon Academy is legitimate." She stopped, grabbing him by the arm and turning his body to force him to look at her. For the first time since meeting her she looked angry. "But make no mistake, Mr. Arc," she said in a sharp whisper. "She will learn the truth. And for your own sake you should hope that she learns it from you, on your own terms, rather than her own. My sister hates surprises."

Winter didn't need to use violence to scare him. She didn't even need to threaten the use of violence. All she needed to do was glare at him with those hard, cold eyes. Eyes that were nearly identical to Weiss'.

Her mention of how Weiss hated surprises was a reminder of a fact that he already knew. From the very start of their training he had learned that the young woman hated them. And while at times he had used this information to playfully tease her, he never attempted to cause her any harm or distress by surprising her. He could only imagine what this information would do to her if she, or as Winter had alluded to, when she found out about it herself.

Even through the fabric of his shirt, and even through his Aura, Jaune felt the fingers of the elder Schnee sister digging into his skin as she expected some sort of reply from him. He nodded his head in understanding at what she had just told him. "I'll tell her," he said. "I just need to find the right moment."

Winter released her grip on him upon hearing those words. "Good. Because if Weiss gets injured as a result of your actions then there is no place on Remnant that you will be able to hide from me." After those words her face lost its hard edge and returned to the emotionless mask it had been before. "I believe our business here is concluded."

Jaune breathed a sigh of relief as he rubbed his arm. While it was true that Winter didn't intentionally use violence against him, her grip was as strong as Nora's, if not stronger. And it hurt a lot. In fact it reminded him so much of Nora that he could almost hear his teammate's voice at this very moment. Screaming something. Something about... looking out?

In an instant the pain returned, though this time it was what felt like a fist connecting with the side of his head rather than the steely grip of Winter.

Jaune was sent tumbling several feet across the stone of the courtyard, finally skidding to a stop when he reached a grassy area. Looking up he saw an enraged, red-in-the-face, heaving-chest Weiss Schnee standing where he had once been next to Winter. If looks could kill he would be a dead man.

"Stay away from my sister you pervert!" she screamed before grabbing Winter by the wrist and leading her away.

He stood up still in a daze, watching the older sister letting herself be taken by Weiss without any struggle. If he wasn't in so much pain right now he might have thought more about how Winter had mentioned the enthusiasm Weiss had when it came to her.

Weiss had called him something after she punched him. Pervert. Why had Weiss called him a pervert? One look at the guilty-faced Nora told him all he needed to know. Ren, Blake and Yang were standing there with her.

"I'm sorry," Ren frowned. "I really did try to stop her."

Jaune rubbed the side of his head as he walked back over toward them. "It's okay. I know you did your best."

Ren nodded in agreement. But soon enough Jaune's eyes were drawn to the grinning Yang Xiao Long. She looked sweaty, apparently coming straight here with Blake and Weiss after her workout.

"You were going to score with Weiss' sister?" she asked. " I knew pervert boy was a good fit, you're going after the entire family! Look out mama Schnee!" she added, laughing at her own joke.

"Guy in pain here," he said pointing to himself. "Really not a good time for the bad comedy."

"Weiss used one of her glyphs to like, super punch you," she said. So that was why it had hurt so badly. "If that's not funny I don't know what is."

"And after that do you still think she's into me?"

"Totally!" Yang said enthusiastically. "Trust me, when a girl goes out of her way to make physical contact with someone it means she's interested."

Jaune saw how Nora was practically hanging off of Ren at the moment. And just how physical she always seemed to be with him ever since they had been grouped together on the same team. If what Yang had said was true then it gave him a new and very interesting perspective on his teammates.

His own situation, however, was entirely different. "Does that physical contact include getting punched in the head?"

"Eh, depends on the girl," she shrugged.

"Okay, I really should not be taking advice from a crazy person." Jaune looked at his friends before sighing. "Oh who am I kidding. Everyone on our teams is crazy in their own unique ways." When his eyes met Ren's he couldn't help but smile. "Except you, Ren. I think you're the only sane person in this whole school."

Before Ren could answer, the personification of crazy spoke instead. "That's just the concussion talking, Jaune," Nora said happily. She grabbed him by the hand and started to take him back toward the dormitory. "Come on, let's go get some pancakes."

"How will pancakes help me right now?"

"Well they always help me when I'm feeling down," she said as if that solved all of his problems.

"Ugh, like I said," he groaned. "Crazy. You're all crazy." He shook his head sadly as his voice lowered. "And I'm the craziest of all for choosing to be surrounded by all of you."

* * *

 **Author's Note:** So this is only the second time I've written Winter outside of the letters. She doesn't have much screen time to begin with, so it was a little difficult for me to get a good feel for her character. How'd she turn out? Good? Bad? Let me know.

Like I've said before I want to include more Winter in the actual story. And now that I've finally gotten to a point where I can do so I'm going to enjoy this new dynamic she brings to the setting. She's here for a lot more reasons than just talking to Jaune. More next chapter. Much more in the future.

If you have any questions for me I'll do my best to answer them as always. Comments and feedback are always appreciated as well.

Thanks for reading.


	17. Chapter 17

**Author's Note:** Well the reaction to the last chapter was certainly a mixed bag. Not quite what I was expecting but I love it nonetheless. Because if I lived in an echo chamber then I would never improve. So to all of the people who thought it was awesome, thank you. And to everyone who said it was terrible, thank you too! I appreciate every review I get, and I can't thank all of you enough for taking the time to leave one.

There were a couple points that were brought up that I figure I should address. The first being the idea of Jaune and "manliness". In the show Jaune told Pyrrha about how he didn't want to be the "damsel in distress" anymore, which led me to believe that this idea is a stereotype in Remnant just like in the real world. I get that men and women are physically equal in Remnant, and the idea of manliness and machismo might be a defunct one thanks to Aura and Semblances. But I just figured it's a real thing that guys deal with, especially for immature teenage guys like Jaune. Because he, and everyone else at Beacon are just that: immature teenagers. Remember that both in this story and in canon he's very self-conscious about the fact that he's weak, and that he may overcompensate by wanting to fit into the usual gender stereotype role of the cool, bad ass man. It also makes him more relatable in a world full of magic, monsters and super powers.

And second was the Weiss punching Jaune thing. For those who felt the whole misunderstanding/slapstick/romantic comedy element was out of place, yeah, it probably was. I figured I'd try something different and lighthearted because I thought it'd be funny. Hopefully it actually was funny, but just out of place for the atmosphere I've created for this story. Because I don't want one of my next fics, which will be much more lighthearted and feature a lot of comedy, to be a total dud.

Oh well, enough of my rambling. You're here to read the story, not me talking about this stuff. Hopefully you enjoy the new chapter.

* * *

This wasn't how it was supposed to be.

Weiss had not seen her sister in person in ages. It came with the territory of the elder sibling being in the Atlesian military. They had been writing to one another for months. In that time she had only even seen her Winter's face once. And now, the day that she unexpectedly shows up at Beacon Academy, their reunion takes place under these circumstances?

It was unacceptable. Leave it to that idiot to ruin things.

Weiss Schnee had grown more tolerant in her time at Beacon. Prior to this she would not have been able to put up with Ruby's immaturity and Yang's foolishness. Their encounters on the first day proved as much. However she had to admit to herself that she had changed as a person. She had begun to accept and even like her teammates. But there was one thing she would not tolerate. And that was someone trying to dishonor her sister.

She had been caught completely off-guard when Nora had burst into the library babbling things about Jaune being a "player", as the redhead had put it. Weiss had been about to dismiss it as another of the girl's psychotic ramblings until she had mentioned Winter. Not by name, but by the fact that Nora had described her as "Weiss' older sister". And when Nora had subsequently stated that Jaune was "hooking up" with her, Weiss knew that she had to investigate. Not so much because she actually believed the energetic member of Team JNPR, but because something so random coming out of nowhere deserved her attention. No matter how unlikely it was.

And Weiss was happy that she did decide to investigate. There, just as Nora had said, were Jaune and her sister. Alone. Walking and talking about something. Winter had even grabbed him by the arm. She didn't know what it meant, but the fact that there was physical contact between the two after Nora's wild accusations had sent her into a blind rage. And that rage could only be quelled by casting a glyph beneath her feet and propelling herself forward with all the speed she could muster. If not for her Aura she was sure that her hand would be broken from the sheer force of her fist connecting with the boy's face.

With all kinds of emotions and thoughts running through her head Weiss did not even know how long or far she had been dragging her sister away from where she had knocked Jaune to the ground. Only when she felt the tug on her own arm did she realize that Winter had stopped behind her. With no chance of physically moving her older sister against her will Weiss made the decision that here was as good of a place as any to stop and finally speak to her sister. And there was much to speak about.

What she did not expect was the stinging slap upon the side of her head courtesy of Winter herself. Weiss winced more out of shock than any actual pain. She looked up to see Winter staring down at her with cold, angry eyes. The words which Weiss were about so speak were lost before they could even leave her mouth.

"What were you thinking back there?" Winter asked harshly.

What was she thinking? Only the most horrible thoughts she could even imagine. Because the idea of Jaune and her sister being physically involved with one another provoked more anger than even she herself could believe. Woe be to any would-be suitors who desired the attention of Winter.

"I-" Weiss started to speak before being cut off immediately by Winter.

"Your conduct was most unbecoming for someone of your station," the older woman continued. "To display such behavior in a public setting will only bring disgrace to both yourself and our family. Perhaps I should arrange for father to return you to Atlas. At least there you remembered to mind your manners."

The words sent chills through Weiss' body. Her eyes widened at the mere suggestion of being sent back to her northern homeland. And by her sister no less, the young woman she admired the most. What made it worse was that Winter knew exactly what she would be condemning her sibling to by having her sent back to live with their father. The Atlesian soldier had chosen her words deliberately. She could be as cold and calculating here as she could be on the battlefield.

The thought of Winter's own public display just moments ago entered her mind, but as Weiss looked around she saw that there was no one else in sight. Her sister had chosen this spot to have this conversation purely because it was out of the way of any witnesses who may have been strolling around Beacon's courtyard. There had been no one to see her get struck, nor was there anyone to hear the threat which Winter had just spoken.

Weiss' body language betrayed the fear which now lingered in her mind. Her head was dipped low and her shoulders hunched over as she sought any way to get back on Winter's good side. "I'm sorry," she said softly as she found herself looking down to the ground rather than at Winter. "I- I don't know what happened back there." She swallowed hard before the next words came out. "I'm sorry," she repeated.

Weiss could feel her heart racing her in chest as silence lingered over the two. When she finally looked back up at Winter she saw that the anger on her face had dissipated. What remained was the professional indifference she reserved for the majority of the people in her life. Strangers. Business associates. Their father. But never with her. It hurt more than she would ever admit.

"Beacon," Winter stated cryptically. Her hands fell behind her back and she clasped them together as she began to slowly walk. She seemed to be taking in the sights all around them before she finally continued. "It's been a long time since I've been here. But even so, it still hasn't changed."

Weiss nodded unconsciously in agreement, not realizing that Winter would not even be able to see the action. She fell in beside Winter as she mimicked her sibling's pace in order to keep up with her.

"It is still as undisciplined as I remember," Winter continued. "Your actions speak louder than you realize. In Atlas Academy the unprovoked assault of a fellow student would result in dire consequences for both parties." Winter turned to look at Weiss. "Clearly this place is rubbing off on you. Perhaps my earlier suggestion should be more than just an idle threat..."

While it was good to know that Winter's idea of sending her back to Atlas had only been an empty one, the thought that she was now actually entertaining such an idea rekindled Weiss' worries. No, she could not go back. Not to Atlas. Not to the mansion. Not to their father.

"I'm sorry," Weiss repeated once more. "I just thought..." She paused as she tried to think of the best way to phrase what she was about to say. "I was under the impression that Jaune had impure motives with you."

The soft laugh which came from Winter was the last reaction Weiss would have expected. "Weiss, do you honestly believe that I would be unable to defend myself if that _boy_ had any ill intentions toward me?"

When Winter put it like that, especially her emphasis on the word "boy", she felt incredibly foolish. Of course Jaune would not have been able to do a thing. Winter was the finest huntress Weiss had ever met. She was an Atlesian Specialist, a soldier in the strongest military in the world. The idea of that _idiot_ being able to take advantage of her was beyond preposterous.

The heiress shook her head, mentally chastising herself as she did so. "I don't know what came over me," she admitted. "It's Nora's fault," she said in her defense.

"The loud redheaded girl?"

Weiss nodded. "Yes. She loves telling ridiculous stories. But when she mentioned you I had to see for myself what her inane babbling was all about."

"I see," the older Schnee said before she tilted her head downward. Weiss saw a tiny smile form on her lips. "It is good to see that you are making friends. I must confess that I did worry about how you would handle people with backgrounds different from your own. A few short months ago you would have shunned this Nora girl to the point where you would not even be aware of the fact that she likes to tell ridiculous stories."

Winter was not wrong. She seldom was. Her words merely confirmed what Weiss had been thinking to herself earlier. The heiress had indeed changed. Whether or not it was for the better was still a point of discussion. On one hand her own training and upbringing was slowly being forgotten. Back in Atlas she never would have done what she had to Jaune. Even if there was a man making an amorous advance to her sister. If their father could see her now she knew what his reaction would be. And she knew that he would insist on her return to Atlas at once.

But on the other hand she was beginning to open up more. She was finally making an identity of her own. For her entire like Weiss Schnee had been just that: a Schnee. She was the heiress to the Schnee Dust Company. She had the same white hair as her siblings, mother, and now that her father was older, him as well. She had the same Semblance as every other member of the Schnee family. All she had was her family name and everything that came with it. Her family name defined her. But now she was finally starting to break free of all of that and become more than just Weiss Schnee. She was becoming simply Weiss.

It was these mixed messages which had her confused as to Winter's intentions. Was Winter proud of her? Disappointed? Somewhere in between? It was hard to read the woman unless she came out and directly stated what was on her mind.

"However as I stated earlier, I am also disappointed with how you handled this situation," Winter said.

 _Right on cue,_ Weiss thought.

"Once more you let your emotions control your mind and your actions," she continued. "It is an increasingly frequent trend that I have noticed in your letters. The common factor seems to be this boy you have been training."

Weiss had no explanation or defense to offer up for this accusation. As usual Winter was correct. She need only think back to the latest time before the punching incident that it had happened. Sitting in the sparring chamber watching Cardin in a practice fight. The feeling of comfort being around him. Comfort bred out of familiarity. Like someone understood the pressures and stresses that she went through in life because of her name. The expectations that she faced and having to live up to them. Her teammates did not understand these things. Ruby was an optimistic young girl who was as naive as she was innocent. Yang seemed to just want to have fun, never taking anything in life too seriously. And Blake was a model student who never caused any trouble or drama. Jaune on the other hand...

Jaune wanted to impress people just as she did. He had his parents and she had Winter. Jaune wanted to uphold a legacy of strength and heroism to honor his ancestors who fought and died in legendary wars. She wanted to uphold the legacy of a mighty company built by her grandfather, which was slowly being degraded by her father. Even if the man didn't even realize what he was doing. However perhaps most importantly, Jaune wanted to be stronger not only for his family and his team, but to be free of the bully who had begun to torment him here at Beacon Academy. And Weiss wanted to be free of her own personal bully... the one who even now resided in Atlas waiting for her to come crawling back to him.

Weiss knew she couldn't lie to her sister. But she hoped that speaking in half-truths would be an effective replacement. "That idiot brings out the worst in me," she admitted. And to Weiss it was indeed a truth. She hated the weakness that she displayed when she was with him.

"Perhaps he does, if this is the result of your interaction," her sister agreed. "However I am forced to wonder why you are interested in him if he is the cause of this uncontrolled emotion."

Weiss frowned on her sister using one word in particular. "I am not _interested_ in him," she said defensively.

She saw Winter turn to let her eyes wander over her. They were the hawk-like eyes of a soldier. Weiss had no doubt that scrutinizing gaze was noticing things about herself that not even she knew.

"Apparently we have different ideas for the definition of 'interested'," she said. "I believe it speaks volumes about your own mindset to assume I meant it in a romantic sense."

Weiss' nose scrunched up as she turned away, an indignant snort shooting from her nostrils. Winter had found an opening and latched onto it with a predator's talons. The last thing she needed was to be teased again like she had been during their Cross Continental Transmit System call.

"Unimportant!" Weiss snapped. "The fact remains that I do have my reasons for training him. You are more than familiar with them."

"Indeed I am. I have also explained the folly of such a plan." Winter's expression softened as she spoke her next words. "Defeating Cardin Winchester will not help you defeat father. You must still fight your own battles. You only delay the inevitable by waging this proxy war."

Deep down Weiss knew this. She had known it for some time now. But it was far too late to back out now. If she did then Jaune would be confused as to why she had suddenly decided to break from a routine she had insisted upon for months. And more importantly Cardin would be able to rub it in her face. To him she would be nothing more than a quitter and a coward. A girl who was all talk with nothing to back it up. And regardless of how much Winter insisted, she did care about the opinions of others. Maybe it was a flaw on her part. But she could not stand the thought of people looking down on her. She could not stand the thought of being viewed as weak or ineffective.

She looked down to her feet as they slowly treaded the pavement. "I know," she said softly. "But I can't back out now."

"No," Winter agreed. "You can't. You have taken it upon yourself to train this boy and you will see it through." She paused briefly, allowing her words to hang in the air. Perhaps she wanted them to sink in. "Tell me. Have you revealed your motives to the Arc heir yet?"

Yet? Was Winter assuming that she actually planned on telling him at all? As Weiss had once stated in a letter long ago before their training sessions had even started, she had no intention of revealing her true intentions to Jaune. She had been worried about damaging his ego. Now, at this stage of the game, could she actually entertain the thought of telling him the truth? Impossible. He would turn away from her in a heartbeat.

"I haven't," Weiss answered.

Winter brought her gaze back to look at her younger sister. "Why is that?"

Surely Winter had not forgotten the reason. Her mind was sharp and her memory impeccable. Was the woman testing her? Weiss didn't know. But she supposed that it did not matter if she had to explain her rationale again.

The heiress huffed out an annoyed breath. "If I tell him the truth he'll get hurt," she explained. "His confidence will be shattered. He wants to be some great hero and warrior like the those in his family line. And if I tell him that I used him for my own reasons..."

"Think about what you have just said," Winter said before Weiss could finish her thought.

"What?"

The elder Schnee shook her head sadly. "You speak of the word 'truth' like it is something to be detested. Like it is a bad word that should not be uttered at the dinner table in front of father. Perhaps it is you and not Whitley who takes after him the most."

The comment made Weiss' eyes go wide. If this was anybody else she might not have been able to control herself. Her response would make what she did to Jaune look tame in comparison. She would not care how badly her emotions got out of control. No one compared her to her father. It was an insult that she would normally not let stand.

But was Winter wrong in her statement?

Jaune was so eager to do this. And for what? For a lie? On the surface what she had been telling him the whole time was in fact true. Getting stronger would only benefit him and his team. But it was a half truth. She was not doing this for his sake. She was doing it for her own. To prove her superiority over Cardin. To defeat a surrogate for her father. Jaune was just a pawn in it all. Just as Winter had called him in one of her letters.

The fact that Weiss was claiming to be charitable made it even worse. As much as she fought against her upbringing it was coming back to haunt her even now. Such an excuse was exactly what her father would have used. He would twist selfish motivations in a way to make it seem like the situation would benefit others. And that was exactly what she was doing here. Even now she was working toward her own goals by having him study Cardin's technique. Yes it was useful, but it benefitted her under the pretense of helping him. Weiss refused to be anything like her father and yet here she was emulating the man.

Weiss was normally calm and collected around her sister. She wanted so badly to impress her. But she had just been pushed beyond her limit in this moment. "I am nothing like our father!" she snarled.

Winter's eyes narrowed in response. "What have I told you about controlling your emotions?"

"I don't care!" she retorted angrily, stopping in place and causing Winter to do the same. "You of all people should know not to cross that boundary!"

"Oh?" the specialist replied. "And what if I do? What will you do if I continue to push your buttons?" she said as she actually reached out and poked Weiss in the shoulder with her index finger. "What if someone else learns about the 'father button'? Will you allow yourself to be led around by the nose every time he is brought up like a gullible fool?"

Weiss' fists were clenched and her arms were shaking. It was taking all of the restraint she had in her not to yell once more. She knew that she could not challenge her sister physically. She did not want to either. At this point in their lives her words were all that she had in her arsenal against Winter. However her words were useless against a person who did not care about them.

She took a deep breath and tried to calm herself. Winter was right. She was always right. That's why she was free from the grasp of Jacques Schnee. Because she was smart. It was just another trait which Weiss envied.

And she hated herself for that. She hated how weak she felt compared to her sister. She hated the feeling of wanting something that felt so out of reach.

"I'm sorry," Weiss said as she squeezed her eyes shut. But she refused to let anything slip out from them. "Again. I- I shouldn't have-"

"No," Winter cut her off. "You should not have. But you did. Which means you still have a long way to go, my dear sister."

Weiss froze as she felt a pair of arms placed on her shoulders. She opened her eyes once more and looked to see Winter's paradoxical warm expression. Her older sister's arms then reached around to pull her into an embrace. At first Weiss didn't know what to do, but soon enough her mind overcame her instincts and she returned the gesture to Winter. They stood there away from the prying eyes of the other students for a few seconds before parting.

"I apologize for having to say what I did," Winter said as she looked down at Weiss with genuine care in her icy blue eyes. "However sometimes the truth is harsh. The truth is ugly. And the truth hurts."

The shorter Schnee nodded in understanding. Right now she wanted to speak as little as possible until she was able to compose herself. At the moment she did not trust her voice to not come out shaky.

"Which is why you should tell the Arc boy the truth," Winter continued when she realized that Weiss' non-verbal reply was all that she would give right now. "You said that you did not wish to tell him because you would hurt him. This tells me that you do indeed care for his happiness on some level. That alone separates you from our father."

That one small comment made Weiss' lips perk up into a tiny smile. To any other person it would not have meant much. But for it to come from Winter made the heiress truly believe that it was the truth.

Winter picked up on the physical response and smiled in turn. "Of course the fact that you are indeed manipulating the boy for your own ends means that you still walk a very fine line. It can take only a small push in either direction to either send you on a path of emulating the man you despise the most, or from finally breaking free of his shadow which looms over you."

Weiss finally felt confident enough to speak. "What do I do?" she asked. "How do I tell him that I've been lying this whole time?"

"It's rather simple," she said with a knowing smile. "You say the boy wants to be a hero because he comes from a long line of soldiers. So treat him like one. Speaking from experience, soldiers must believe in their commanding officer. Soldiers who serve a false cause are doomed to fail. Therefore that officer must be honest with their soldiers if they are to succeed as a unit."

Weiss looked up at her sister. She had not said anything new. She had merely taken the concept of telling the truth and expanded on it.

"So you just want me to tell him?" she asked. "Just as simple as that?"

"Indeed," Winter nodded. "As I said. The truth may be harsh. It may hurt. However in the end the ugliest truth is still a kinder sight than the prettiest of lies."

Weiss normally had little difficulty telling a person what she thought of them. And usually those truths were indeed hurtful. She thought back to how she had treated Ruby earlier in the semester. She had not held back. Not until she had spoken to both Winter and Yang about the girl. However now she had learned to bite her tongue when she would have normally unleashed her wrath upon a person. She was willingly spending time with people she had hated only a few months ago. As Yang had put it, she had become quite the social butterfly.

She sighed, wetting her lips with her tongue as she thought about how to respond to her sister's words. "I guess..." she finally agreed. "I'll... I'll tell him when the time is right. I just need to think about how and when."

Winter hummed thoughtfully at the words. "Very well. As long as this situation will finally be resolved I am content. And I trust that you will be prompt with this matter and not let it slide until after their duel occurs."

"No," Weiss confirmed. "I will not."

"Good." It was Winter who paused this time before turning to face the school. They were a long way from the building at this point. "I do have a little more time before I must make a trip to Vale. Classified, of course," she said with a dismissive wave of her hand. "However until then perhaps you will take me to your quarters. I would like to inspect them myself and see just how much this environment has influenced you."

Weiss' thoughts turned to the bunk beds. A shiver ran down her spine thinking about how Winter would react to their shoddy construction. Her mind then drifted to the fact that her team might be in the room at this very moment discussing what had just transpired between Jaune and her. What would Winter think of the collection of unusual personalities?

She swallowed hard as she worked to open her mouth. "Yes," she said softly. "Of course." Another sigh escaped her mouth before she continued. "Just so you know, it wasn't my idea."

Winter gave her a curious look. "What wasn't your idea?"

"You'll see."

* * *

So this was what enthusiasm felt like.

Jaune had wondered just what Winter had meant when she mentioned that Weiss could be enthusiastic at times. He had trouble picturing in his mind what a Weiss who wasn't showing him either annoyed anger or cold indifference would be like. But now he knew. And he wished that he didn't. Because with this new third side of her, it still hurt. And it still reeked of that familiar anger that she had for him.

Even now as he and his friends walked back towards the dormitory Jaune could still hear a ringing sound in his ear on the side of his head that had been struck. He wondered when it would go away. Was this something that Aura would be able to remedy in time? Or was the wrath of Weiss Schnee beyond even its ability to heal?

He was brought back to reality when he felt a hand slap against his back. A glance to his side revealed the bright grin of Yang. "Cheer up, vomit boy," she said with unrestrained glee. "At least now we have another funny story to tell tonight in the cafeteria."

Jaune groaned softly, the guttural noise resembling a Beowolf's snarl more than any man-made sound. "Yeah. My pleasure."

"But I am totally gonna tell Ruby first, she said as she grabbed Blake by the hand. "Come on, let's go find her."

The short conversation ended abruptly as Yang pulled her partner away from the rest of the group. Jaune watched the blonde drag the raven-haired girl with her toward the doors to the building. He was now left with just Ren and Nora.

Nora. Jaune sighed thinking about how she was the entire reason he was in this mess in the first place. He glanced over at the redhead, who in turn averted her own eyes from him. Clearly there was a sense of guilt and shame there, but those feelings would not fix the damage that had been done.

Apparently Ren had a good grasp on the situation as well, and he spoke up in response to the silent tension between his partner and leader. "Nora, may I ask why you decided to act in the manner which you did?"

The tiny girl threw her hands up in the air, the conflict which was raging inside her manifesting externally. "I had to do it! It was for Jaune's own good!"

Jaune's eyes narrowed as he looked at the energetic girl. "How so?"

"Because, silly," she said with a playful punch to his shoulder. "I had to protect you."

He shook his head in disbelief. "So your idea of protecting me is getting me attacked by a vengeful huntress in training?"

The fact that Nora opened her mouth to speak but stopped any words from coming out told him that his statement had made an impact. But the silence did not last for long. It never did when it came to Nora Valkyrie.

"It's better than the alternative!" she argued. "I could not stand idly by and let my leader and friend be seduced by an older and more experienced woman!"

Jaune's initial physical reaction had been to recoil from the girl who walked beside him. He felt his eyes widen with shock, and a quick glance over to Ren showed that the boy had a similar reaction. And that said a lot considering how emotionless the boy usually was.

"Nora you can't seriously-"

"I get it, Jaune. I really do," she went on, uncaring of the fact that he had started to question her motives. "You're at that age where your hormones are going crazy and girls are starting to look a lot less icky. But I couldn't let it happen like this. Not with some strange girl you had just met!"

Was she seriously attempting to give him "the talk"? Was this real life? Was this actually happening? Maybe he had been knocked unconscious from the blow to the head and this was the most lucid dream ever. Because there was absolutely no way that Nora could be serious right now.

And then Jaune decided to mentally slap himself. Of course it was possible. This was Nora after all. The girl who concocted wild fantasies about herself and Ren slaying Grimm to sell their pelts for profit despite the fact that the creatures disintegrated at death. The fact that she had formulated this crazy scenario in her mind was not all that surprising.

"Nora, really. Nothing like that happened or was going to happen," Jaune explained. He placed a hand on her shoulder. "I appreciate your concern, but we were just talking. Innocent talking. Nothing more."

She looked up to him with wide teal eyes. It was the same look that he sometimes received from his younger sisters when they were having a serious, heartfelt conversation. "Really?" she asked.

"Really," he confirmed.

Nora wiped the imaginary sweat off of her brow with a forearm. "That's a relief. It's good to know that my leader is still making wise decisions."

It amused Jaune just how much his tiny teammate looked up to him. She had no idea just how badly she would be able to decimate him in a fight if they were to ever come to blows. Even with all of his training he doubted that he would be able to stand a chance against her. In that moment he came to a decision.

"I think I'm gonna go get some training in," he told his teammates.

Ren shot him a questioning look. "I thought you had already trained today," he commented. "And that's why you were in the shower in the first place."

"Yeah, but that was just weight lifting," Jaune explained. "I'm gonna get some combat practice in now."

"Oh oh!" Nora nearly shouted, perking up once more at the thought of physical activity. "Can we come? Can we watch? Can we help?"

Before Jaune could respond he heard Ren speak up. "Oh no you don't," he said as he grabbed her by the arm. "We need to discuss your punishment."

"My punishment?" she cried out dramatically. "For what?"

"For the betrayal of Jaune's trust," the dark-haired boy explained. "I'm thinking we start out with a pancake ban for a week."

Nora wailed in pain at the words. Jaune could not help but smirk at the antics of the two lifelong best friends.

"Careful, Ren," he said, unable to keep the amusement out of his voice. "We don't want to kill her."

"A little bit of pancake withdrawal won't hurt," he stated. "Not too much, at least. She's survived it before."

Jaune chuckled at the words. "You've done this with her before?"

"Only when she deserved it."

The deflated, and honestly less vibrant looking Nora only groaned pathetically as she allowed herself to be led away by her partner. She shuffled forward slowly and it was clear that the only thing which kept her from collapsing on the ground was the fact that Ren had a firm grasp on her arm.

Ren looked back as the pair parted ways from Jaune, heading back to their own room while Jaune went towards the sparring chamber. "Enjoy your training."

Jaune nodded. "Will do. Enjoy... whatever it is you're about to do."

No more words needed to be shared. Ren was doing what he needed to do while Jaune set off to do what he needed. Because he had to get stronger. He had to become a leader who was truly worthy of Nora's admiration and respect. And the only way he would get better was to continue to train and push himself to the limit.

* * *

Apprehension filled every fiber of Weiss' being as she slowly strolled down the hallway next to her sister. Winter was about to see everything. Her room. Her bunk beds. Her _teammates_. She could just imagine what her sister's reaction would be to that collection of weirdos. She used the term in only the most affectionate way because they truly had grown on her. In more ways than simple bacteria as she had mentioned to Blake.

There was her hyperactive red-hued partner Ruby. The girl who had gushed about the fact that they both had older sisters. Forget just Winter's reaction to the team. Weiss could picture how Ruby would react to _her_.

 _Ohmygoshyou'reWeiss'sister! I've heard so much about you and I have a sister too and you're an older sister and she's an older sister and me and Weiss just have so much in common like that and that's why we're best friends oh do you have a sword like Weiss I have a scythe it's also a gun wanna see it?_

Weiss held her arms close to her chest as a cold chill ran through her body. Her fingers rubbed the bare flesh slowly and felt goose bumps adorning her pale skin. The action did not go unnoticed by Winter. Of course it hadn't.

"Is something troubling you, Weiss?" she asked without averting her gaze from the hall.

Weiss let her arms fall back to her sides. She shook her head slightly more for her own sake than Winter's. "No, it's nothing," she said. "I'm merely contemplating how my life reached the point where it is currently."

Winter chuckled. "An ominous statement."

"A truthful one..." she said under her breath.

But not soft enough for Winter not to hear it. But then again if she had never intended for her sister to hear it in the first place she would not have said it.

Winter took the bait not because she had been deceived, but because of the sisterly nature which Weiss knew she possessed. "Would you like to discuss it?"

With a frown Weiss shook her head once more. It took her a second to realize that she should respond verbally in this situation. "No, but thank you." A tiny smile crept onto her face as she thought about the girls who were responsible for her overly-dramatic behavior. "It really is nothing serious, honestly."

At this moment Weiss realized just how slowly she was walking. In the past few seconds both she and Winter had slowed to a snail's pace. It had not been her intent to do so, and so it must have been her body unconsciously mimicking Winter's own speed in order to keep pace with her. Her older sister must have done this in order to give the two time to discuss whatever was on her mind before they reached the room. It was the small actions like this which reinforced the fact that Winter cared deeply about her well-being. Tiny details which were invisible to the eye unless a person already knew what to look for. The realization warmed the heiress' heart.

"Very well," Winter said, all but ending the conversation.

However Weiss was not about to let the opportunity slip by. If Winter had slowed down to give the two a chance to talk then she would take advantage of it. "Winter, in all of the confusion and... emotion," she said hesitantly. "I never did get a chance to ask just why you are here and why you will be traveling to Vale. Surely it involves more than just _him_."

The fact that Winter decided to spend time with Jaune before even notifying her own sister of her arrival sent pangs of jealousy coursing through her body. The nerve of that idiot to not only be a complete thorn in her side, but now to monopolize her own sister? It was unacceptable. The next time they trained she would work him until his Aura was completely extinguished. And then she would deal him a blow that would leave a mark.

 _Calm down_ , she thought to herself. _Don't let your emotions control you. Especially not when he's involved._

"Classified military matters," Winter said in that familiar, monotone voice of hers.

It was the voice she used when she was in military mode. When her professionalism and service to the kingdom of Atlas was placed above her being a member of the Schnee family. Weiss dreamed of the day where she would be able to have the luxury of all but severing her constricting family ties.

"I understand," Weiss replied, her tone equally formal.

"However," Winter continued. She let the word linger for a few seconds before she went on. "What I can tell you is that it involves the White Fang. Of course if you have been keeping up with current events you should have been able to figure that out by yourself."

Of course it involved the White Fang. Weiss wanted to come out and say as much, but she feared that the venom in her voice would be unfairly directed toward her sister. The anger, no, the hatred she felt in her heart was only for those faunus terrorists. Not the woman who fought against them. The woman who defended the innocent civilians caught in the crossfire.

When would those White Fang savages learn that terrorism did not endear the public to their cause? When would they realize that these attacks on civilians only turned humans even further against them? It was hard for people not to look at them as animals when they acted like them.

"As I have told you in our earlier correspondence, the world is becoming an ever more dangerous place." Winter turned her head to look down at her sister. Her gaze had hardened to that of a soldier's now as she discussed the matter. "And not even the walls of Vale can shield you from it anymore. You must remain vigilant."

Weiss nodded wordlessly. By now her uneasiness about the interaction between her teammates and sister had vanished. In its place a new anxiety began building. Winter was a professional soldier and had seen many things out in a world that seemed impossibly huge to a teenager like Weiss herself. If Winter was behaving in this manner then something dangerous must indeed be brewing.

"However I did not come here to discuss such matters with you," Winter said, her voice becoming less serious. "That is what my trip to Vale later in the afternoon is for. Until then I relish the chance to see what sort of life you are building for yourself away from home."

The heiress did her best to put a smile back on her face. "Of course. We're almost to my room."

Only then did Weiss realize that Winter had taken point this whole walk back. She had been following her older sister rather than the other way around. How did she even know where she was going?

The point was hammered home when Winter stopped outside of the door to Team RWBY's room and stood by for Weiss to open it. Weiss hesitated for a fraction of a second before she unlocked the door and swung it open.

When she looked inside she felt her heart sink with what she saw. While it was by no means dirty, it was obviously not up to the standards of an Atlesian specialist. Aside from her own bed there was little semblance of order in the room. Nothing was organized, items were not put back in their proper places, and beds were not made. However she considered herself lucky that today was not one of the days where Yang had left her worn clothes scattered on the floor around her and Blake's beds.

The remaining members of her team were sitting or lying in their respective bunks. Two of them haphazardly suspended over the bottom beds. Weiss swallowed as she motioned for Winter to step inside.

She held a hand out to gesture to the three girls in the room. "Winter, these are my teammates. Blake Belladonna," she said pointing to the dark-haired girl whose book now rested against her chest. "Yang Xiao Long," she said as she moved her hand to the girl who lay on the bed atop a stack of books. Her hand shakily moved across the room to the girl who had already jumped down from her own bed and was only a few feet away. "And my partner, Ruby Rose."

Weiss looked over to gauge her sister's reaction. The elder Schnee looked over the girls, and as a result the entire room, and reacted just how Weiss expected her to. With a simple nod of the head and a few polite words. "A pleasure to meet you all."

Winter always showed courtesy and respect to strangers. At least externally. However Weiss wondered just what kind of thoughts were going through her sister's mind. She wondered how badly she was silently judging the state of their room and the aspiring huntresses who inhabited it. Of course she would never come out and actually say these things to the girls, but Weiss knew that she was not impressed by what she saw.

"Girls, this is my sister, Winter."

"Yo," Yang said casually with a lazy wave of her hand.

"Hello," Blake said in an even tone which even Winter might appreciate.

And lastly there was Ruby. The girl looked up at Winter with those bright, silver eyes that were so full of child-like wonder. She inhaled and Weiss prepared herself for the worst. And then at the last possible moment the younger girl seemed to show an unprecedented amount of restraint.

Ruby's legs attempted their idea of a curtsy as she spoke with unnerving calm. "How do you do, Winter?" she asked.

Weiss' eyes widened and she was about to gasp before she saw Ruby's legs turn to gelatin. Her partner began to wobble left and right before she had to reach out to grab onto one of the legs of her suspended bed in order to regain her balance.

"Gah!" Ruby exhaled as she shut her eyes. "I was so close to looking sophisticated!"

Weiss' hand found itself planted on her face. As she dragged it down her nose and mouth she saw that Yang had a very similar reaction to her younger sister.

"Smooth, Rubes," the blonde said sarcastically. "Smooth."

"Yeah well I don't see you trying to make a good impression," Ruby retorted. "You're just up there being lazy. And you," she said pointing to Blake. "You're reading a book when we have a guest! Everyone up!" she shouted in that tiny, unintimidating voice of hers. "I said up! Your leader commands it!"

There had been a point in her life where Weiss was convinced that Jaune Arc would be the death of her. She had been certain that his antics and behavior would be the things which either got her killed. But now she realized that this was not the case. Weiss Schnee was about to die of embarrassment at this very moment.

She felt Winter shift beside her. The sound of her voice followed shortly after. "Do they act like this often?"

The commotion in the background had turned into a dull humming sound by now as Weiss focused her attention on her sister. "Sadly... yes."

A few more seconds of chatter and banter went on as Ruby began organizing the rest of the team to stand before the pair of white-haired women. Winter had not moved away yet. "And you left Atlas for this?"

Weiss spared a glance for the trio of teens as Ruby was flailing her arms in the air wildly attempting to get them to accomplish some task. "No no no!" she said. "Standing in order makes sense because it goes from shortest to tallest! We'd just be missing the 'W'!" The leader gasped as she turned her attention to her partner. "Hey Weiss did you know that if we all stand in order of height it also spells out 'RWBY'?"

"Kill me now," Weiss whispered as her hands balled up into fists. "Kill me now."

"You know we've actually already met her," Yang said to Ruby. "We just told you about how Weiss decked Jaune for trying to sleep with her."

 _If only I could summon..._ Weiss thought. _All I need is a pack of Beowolves and this would be over..._

"Come on, we both know that's not true," Ruby said in her friend's defense.

"Yeah, but it's a lot funnier than some stupid little misunderstanding."

Weiss could feel her clenched fists shaking. This had gone on too long. "Girls!" she shouted, getting the attention of her teammates. "Please," she said, this time trying hard to display calm and restraint in her voice. "That is quite enough."

Ruby nodded apologetically. "Yeah, sorry," she said sheepishly. "Guess I got a little carried away."

"It's okay," Weiss said before taking a deep breath. "Now let's all try to calm down and start over." She once again gestured to Winter with an open hand. "Girls, this is my sister, Winter."

The three teenagers offered their greetings once more, this time without Ruby attempting to imitate the wealthy socialites of Atlas.

And now it was time for damage control. "Winter, I know it looks like a White Fang IED went off in our room, but I can assure you that it's just Ruby and Yang's untidiness."

She saw how Ruby looked down to her feet, obviously embarrassed by the statement. Yang blew a few strands of hair out of her face, seemingly unashamed by the remark. What Weiss did not expect was the hard glare she received from Blake. Why did she look angry? It wasn't as if the black-clad girl had been implicated by the comment.

Winter looked around. In truth the room's condition was not too terrible. It was the beds which looked the most off-putting. "It's fine, I assure you. Trust me, I've seen the aftermath of a White Fang attack. This is far more preferable."

"Of course," Weiss agreed. Inspiration struck her as she walked over to her and Ruby's side of the room. "But look at this picture," she said, using both hands to frame the picture frame. "As you can see it is perfectly level with the wall. Isn't it perfect?"

Her sister took a step forward and examined it. "It's tilted," she replied. "Perhaps a couple of millimeters."

Weiss felt her heart shatter. All of the time she had spent painstakingly adjusting that picture to ensure that it was straight. Ruined. How? When? And most importantly, why?

She felt a hand rest on her shoulder. When she turned she saw Ruby's apologetic eyes. "It's okay, Weiss. I think it looks nice."

The heiress wanted to say something bitter in response. But she could not find the words. Instead she just sighed in defeat.

Winter's words restored her focus. "I'm afraid that I must be leaving shortly, however," she said. Weiss looked back to see her standing with her hands clasped behind her back. "Duty calls, and I must travel to Vale for the near future. I will return in perhaps a day or two."

"Of course," Weiss said as she walked back over to her sister. She opened the door. "Allow me to escort you back to your ship."

"Very well," she said. Weiss noticed the smallest hint of a smile on her face.

As the pair exited the room Weiss breathed a sigh of relief. Winter had met the team.

Now all that was left was to apologize to the boy who she had unjustly punched in the face.

* * *

Perfection. It was something which Weiss stressed during training. She told him that he must be perfect. One small slipup could spell the end of his life. It could end the lives of those he cared about the most. The words hit Jaune close to home. He could not imagine how he would feel if one of his friends or teammates was injured or worse as a result of his shortcomings. It was the reason he was taking his training so seriously. It was the reason he was training right now.

Jaune went through a familiar set of slashing and stabbing motions with Crocea Mors. Weiss had told him that having a regular routine during training would help to cement his skills with the sword. She even admitted to having one herself. According to her she had gone through the set of moves untold thousands of times throughout her life, and that she expected him to do the same with his own blade. It had to become second nature to him. He had to be able to do it without even thinking about it.

After punching his imaginary foe with his shield he followed up with a quick, short stab with the tip of his ancestral sword. A backhanded swing away from his body came afterward as he pictured the next opponent coming at him from the side. With it taken care of he finished off the routine with a heavy overhand swing which cut downward with enough force to slice through a tree trunk.

In his own mind it was not that unbelievable of an idea. Over the past few months Jaune had become physically stronger than he ever thought possible. Multiple weight lifting sessions each week along with a protein-packed diet saw his mass increase dramatically. Still not on Cardin's level, but as the saying went, Mistral was not built in a day.

The training was also a good stress reliever. He felt his worries melt away when he pushed his body to the limit and worked up a good sweat. And right now he had a lot to feel anxious about. He still had not seen Weiss since the incident earlier in the day.

He smiled to himself as he wondered just what other cruel and unusual punishments Ren was coming up with for Nora. It still amazed him that she was actually concerned with protecting his chastity from what she believed to be a far more experienced older woman who was only concerned with using him for a good time. Where Nora got that idea from he could not even begin to imagine, but he was just thankful that Weiss had not heard it. If she was willing to go as far as she had on simple hearsay, the confrontation between her and his redheaded teammate due to such a slanderous lie could be potentially catastrophic for all of Beacon. There would be nothing left of it by the time the battle was over.

He shook his head at the thought. Now was not the time for any of that. Now was the time to train. Perhaps later he would summon a few of those Atlesian sparring droids for some interactive training. It had been a while since he had faced off against them. And without Weiss here he was in need of a partner.

Punch, stab. Slash. Slash.

 _You must be perfect,_ he heard Weiss say in his mind.

Punch, stab. Slash. Slash.

 _Mind your footwork._

Punch, stab. Slash. Slash.

He could picture his foe standing across from him. Jaune was sure to keep him just out of range of Crocea Mors' reach until he was ready to strike. The foe should never dictate the terms of the engagement. Always be the aggressor, even when you appear to be taking a defensive approach. The only time you should ever appear to have lost the initiative was when you were luring your opponent into your trap. The words were stuck in his brain. Words he had been taught both by Weiss herself and those he had read in his favorite book.

 _Lunge!_ he thought as he all but hopped forward a couple of steps on the balls of his feet to unleash a stab. _Retreat,_ he thought shortly after as he stepped back and held his shield close to his side and brought up Crocea Mors in a more protective position.

He repeated the process over and over again another dozen times before he needed to take a moment to catch his breath. But there was no time to waste. The semester would be over in about a month, and he had no idea what kind of tests and examinations awaited him. He had to be ready for anything. He had to be ready to take on any challenge. There was no room for failure.

As Jaune prepared himself once more he heard a voice from behind. "Your form has improved drastically since we started."

The familiar voice caused him to freeze momentarily before he turned to see its source. It was no surprise that he saw his earlier white-haired assailant standing near the edge of the training room floor.

"Oh, hey," he greeted the girl. The very sight of her made his voice sound weak and uncertain. "And thanks."

Weiss nodded before she slowly moved towards him. A tiny bag was clutched in both hands in front of her. "I'm pleased to see you being so proactive in your training. Perhaps it is possible for you to pick up on some of my habits after all."

Jaune so desperately wanted to make a sarcastic comment about some of her less than favorable traits such as her arrogance or tendency to lash out at people unjustly, but he knew better than to make the situation worse. Especially if she had come to compliment him rather than engage in any sort of argument.

He decided to remain cordial and polite. "I have a good teacher," he told her diplomatically. Perhaps she was correct in her habits rubbing off on him.

"Indeed," she agreed. Her face tilted downward to stare at her white heeled boots. "But perhaps even teachers make mistakes from time to time."

Jaune was confused to where the girl was going with this. Was she actually admitting to her own fault about something? Before he could ask for a clarification she presented the bag to him with an outstretched arm.

"What's this?" he asked as he reached out to accept it.

Her gaze was once more averted from his own as she looked off to the side. "A peace offering," she told him. After the bag was out of her hands she folded her arms across her chest, hands rubbing them in an almost embarrassed or uncomfortable manner. "I'm sorry," she said.

It didn't take a genius to realize what she was apologizing for. But Jaune wanted to be certain. He wanted there to be no misunderstandings in such a delicate manner. "For what?"

For a fraction of a second he saw a murderous glare in her eyes before they softened. If she had been about to react violently or aggressively toward him in response to his question the urge had been squashed almost instantly.

"For punching you," she explained. He could see her cheeks and lips move as her tongue poked around inside her mouth, probably attempting to buy time for what to say next. "I was given... false information. And I was wrong to do that to you without knowing the facts first."

He wanted to smile. He wanted to laugh even. But he knew that such a display would probably only serve to make the already uncomfortable girl even more volatile than she already was. He did not want to make her even more emotional than she already was. He remembered Winter's words.

 _I wanted to know more about this person in Weiss' life who seems to have an ability to make her so unusually emotional._

If it was true that he did possess this skill then he did not want to exploit it. He did not want to exploit her. Not after he had come so far in the past few months thanks to her. Not after he had somehow turned the girl's disdain for him into something resembling a friendship.

"It's alright," he said with a shrug. "I got an explanation from Nora. Maybe her craziness is just contagious?"

Weiss shook her head swiftly. "It's no excuse," she said harshly. But he could tell that her feelings were directed at herself rather than him. "I acted impulsively and foolishly. Clearly this school and its people are rubbing off on me just as I am on you."

Jaune wanted to ask if that was truly a bad thing. Weiss Schnee had once been a stuck-up, arrogant heiress who did nothing but push away those around her. He could still recall how heartbroken Ruby had been that her partner wanted nothing to do with her. She had even come to him for advice on how to win Weiss' icy heart over. Him of all people! But now it appeared that the two had indeed bonded and formed a close friendship. Or at least were on the right track.

In the end though he decided against bringing up such a point. This was hardly the time or place. Not when she was already feeling vulnerable.

"Still, don't worry about it," he said as he rapped his knuckles lightly against his skull. "I'm pretty sure you've said something about me having a thick skull before," he added with a small laugh. "That and the apparently huge Aura that I have will protect me from the worst you can do."

He noticed how Weiss' attention was piqued when he made mention of his Aura. And how she was quick to look away shortly after in what almost looked to be embarrassment.

"Yeah, well, just open the bag so we can be through with this."

He looked down at the plain white paper bag he held at his side. Bringing it up to around chest level he opened it and this time could not hold back his laughter as he saw its contents. He reached inside and fished out a small package of beef jerky. The same kind that he had purchased from Beacon's vending machines in the past.

"Really?" he asked as he dangled the food in front of him.

She shrugged. "You like the stuff. I figured that it was as good of a way as any to say I'm sorry."

Jaune wasted no time as he tore open the package and put a piece of jerky in his mouth. "I thought you said this stuff was bad for my health," he said as he chewed on the tough, dried beef.

The exasperated breath of air that shot out of her nose was just the sort of reaction he had come to expect from her when she became frustrated with him. "Oh so now you'll follow my instructions. Suddenly when I try and do something nice for you, you become the model student. Unbelievable."

The tone and demeanor coming from the petite girl reminded him of his sisters back home when he would playfully tease them. Weiss' hands were placed firmly on her hips as she stared at him incredulously, expecting some sort of explanation for his sudden desire to follow the rules she had laid out for him.

"It's not surprising though," she continued. "I mean, this is _you_ we're talking about here."

"Hey, didn't this start out as an apology?" he asked.

Weiss scoffed indignantly. "Yes. But it seems that only _you_ can somehow manage to mess up someone else's apology." She jabbed him in the chest with a finger to drive home the emphasized word.

He chuckled. "Yeah. I do tend to screw things up," he said with more truth behind the words than the girl realized. He held the bag out to her. "Want some?"

She hesitated for a moment before she reached in and took a piece. It was not the first time which she had taken some of his food in this very training room.

Deciding that now was as good of a time as any to take an actual break from his training, Jaune walked toward the seats which sat near the edge of the training area. Weiss followed suit and the two sat down to enjoy a small snack together.

As Jaune chewed on the food which was gifted to him he could not help but think back to Yang's words from earlier in the day. What did all of this mean? Could it in fact be possible that Weiss had feelings for him?

This was hardly the first time she had given him a gift out of nowhere. First there had been the new clothes purchased for him. Then there had been the hoodie that she had sewn back together. And now some of his favorite food. Each time came with an explanation. It was entirely possible this was just one giant coincidence and that there was nothing meaningful behind the gifts. But what if he was wrong?

Weiss had been willing to spend an abnormal amount of time with him alone for months now. In that time she had gone from a cold, emotionless heiress to a cold heiress in possession of some emotions. Emotions apparently sparked by him. Weiss' own older sister had said as much. And if there was one person whose opinion would be valid in this situation, it was Winter's.

Jaune liked Weiss. But never in his wildest dreams did he think that he would _like_ her. She was way out of his league. As a result he had never even entertained the idea of pursuing some sort of romance with her. However if she was taking steps to show him just how much he meant to her then perhaps he should begin to do the same. But how?

That was when a cold realization hit him. He was still hiding the truth about his enrollment at Beacon from her. And as Winter had told him, Weiss would find out one way or another.

The thoughts and resulting shivers that ran through his body caused his arms to visibly shake for a few short seconds. The movements did not go unnoticed by the keen eyes of the heiress at his side.

"What is it?" she asked. "Don't tell me that you've suddenly gotten tired of beef jerky," she said accusingly.

Jaune shook his head. "No, it's not that." He reached into the bag to grab another piece in order to emphasize the point. "I love it. See?"

She hummed softly. "Yes..." she said suspiciously as she too took another piece.

"I was just thinking about something," he said honestly. "Don't worry about it."

Weiss nodded without another word. Not that he would have expected any words right now. Unlike him she did not speak with a mouth full of food.

As Jaune chewed he wondered how and when he would reveal the truth to the girl. It couldn't be now though. That much he knew for certain. He may have been a fool, but even he knew that he shouldn't ruin the moment that was being shared between them right now.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** So after this chapter you may have noticed that Winter acted much more differently compared to the previous chapter. That was by design. My reasoning is that when she's in public with strangers, she acts very professionally. She had been raised her entire life as a Schnee and taught to present herself properly and not bring any dishonor to the family name. The same applies to her service in the Atlesian military. She must act professionally because she's a representative of the government.

However when she's around people she's familiar with such as Weiss and Qrow she is able to loosen up and act more like herself. But even she's not perfect, and her buttons can be pushed to make her lose control. The prime example of that would be Qrow goading her into a fight in public.

Anyway, hopefully you enjoyed this. Let me know what you think. And as always I'm up for a discussion on issues that you may have with my logic and reasoning behind things.

Thanks for reading.


	18. Chapter 18

**Author's Note:** Well. That happened.

I would like to say that not having posted anything for the past few weeks was a result of being on vacation over the holidays, which I wasn't. I'd like to say that I was sick and just couldn't get any writing done, which again, I wasn't. No, it was far worse than that. It was a dreaded case of writer's block! I spent about two and a half weeks trying to get over it by just not thinking about any writing at all. I accomplished nothing during that time other than coming up with a few ideas here and there. Hopefully the worst of it is over now and I'll get back on track.

The remaining time between my last update and now was not spent idly, however. In addition to this chapter I wrote another 18k words for another story I plan on publishing next. Writer's block didn't hit me there, so I was able to be somewhat productive over this break. I do apologize for this long wait between updates. It wasn't intended and I hope to never repeat it.

Anyway, thanks to everyone who has shown me so much support over the past few months. Hopefully you enjoy the chapter.

* * *

The red leaves which adorned the trees of Forever Fall were reminiscent of a simpler time. A time before Beacon. A time before she was filled with guilt and regret.

Blake could not help but be reminded of the last incident of what seemed like a completely different life. Back then she had had teammates, just not the ones she was currently grouped with. Adam and the rest of the White Fang were on an entirely separate level. They had been freedom fighters. Brothers and sisters in arms in a war against injustice and prejudice. It had indeed been a simpler time. Things had been, with no annoying Yang-like pun intended, black and white in those days. They were the good guys. Those of the Schnee family and the governments of Remnant were the bad guys. It was just that easy.

Ironically, it was always easy when you were the little guy standing up to the powerful. The difference in strength made your cause seem righteous. It was you against the world. You were the scrappy underdog. And everyone loved the underdog, right? How wrong she had been. How wrong she had been about everything.

The last time she had been in this vast and sprawling forest was the day she had attacked the train carrying Schnee company cargo with Adam. They had torn through the autonomous guards and had destroyed a good amount of dust which was en route for Vale. However in the end, when Adam had shown such little regard for the lives of the innocent civilians who were operating the train, that had been the final straw. The last piece of a puzzle that Blake did not want to solve. The one that painted him, and her by proxy, as a cold-blooded murderer.

As she walked through the forest with the rest of her team she could feel Autumn in the air on her face with every gentle breeze. The fact that they were in a forest which got its name from the fact that its leaves never altered from their Fall-like shade only strengthened the feeling. She could hardly believe how quickly the semester was passing her by. It seemed like only yesterday that she had abandoned her righteous cause and fled from the organization that she thought of as family. This had come after she had fled from the man and woman who were her actual family. Now she was with her latest adopted family made up of two sisters and a Schnee.

Blake could hardly believe the fact that she was teamed with a girl who she would have at one time considered a mortal enemy. The White Fang propaganda machine had made sure to drive it into not just her head, but every man and woman who joined the organization that the Schnee family was a hazard to all of faunus-kind. They were a despicable family who ruled a cold and icy kingdom to the north. She knew that Atlas was ruled by a civilian council, and so that they were not actually in charge of the kingdom. However with their power, wealth and influence they may as well have ruled over Atlas.

However, Blake had come to learn that this was simply not true. Weiss may have been a Schnee. She may have been overbearing and arrogant. She may have even had a bad attitude towards her peers. However, she was not a murderer. She did not seek to enslave the faunus species to work in her family's mines. She was a person. A person just like Blake. One who made mistakes. One who deserved a chance for redemption.

Redemption was why she was here.

She thought that becoming a huntress would help her atone for her past. Everything was going well so far, and she was well on her path to achieving her goals. Then a second Schnee walked through the door.

Blake had been terrified at the very sight of the elder Schnee sister. Her ears had perked up into an alerted state underneath her bow. Muscles had tensed and her heart pounded in her chest as she prepared to make a move, either at the woman to try and slip past her and escape, or failing that, through the window in their dorm room. That woman, clad in her Atlesian military uniform, was supposed to be the end of her dream. The end of her freedom. The end of her life. Her past had finally caught up with her and she was going to be imprisoned for her crimes against Atlas and the Schnee family.

As it turned out, however, Winter was not there for her. How arrogant to think that she had been. Someone as important as Winter Schnee would not reduce herself to traveling halfway around the world to apprehend who she believed to be some low-level ex-terrorist. The solider was merely there to visit her sister. Nothing more and nothing less. The business she spoke of in Vale, however, was a different story. Blake did not know the details, but if Winter was involved then it probably did have something to do with her dual interests of soldier and Schnee. It just didn't concern herself.

Blake was shaken from her thoughts when a loud groan came from beside her. "Ugh!" Ruby moaned loudly. "I can't believe we're actually wasting a day collecting sap."

"I agree," Weiss said in support of her partner. It seemed there really was a first time for everything. "Our talents could be spent much better elsewhere."

The cloaked girl nodded emphatically. "I know! But no, we have to be out in this forest with these stupid jars." She tapped at the large, empty glass jar in her hands with a finger, nearly losing her grip on it. It juggled in her hands for a few seconds before she regained her grip on it. "See? It's so stupid I nearly dropped the thing."

"What is this sap even going to be used for?" Weiss asked.

"Um, I think Professor Goodwitch said something about syrup."

"What an utter waste of time."

"Yeah, this isn't what I had in mind when they said that being a huntress was a _sweet_ gig," Yang chimed in. There was a pause before she continued. "Eh? Get it? Sweet?"

Weiss shook her head silently, while Ruby expressed her opinion a little louder. "Boo! You suck!"

Yang swatted at Ruby with her free hand, causing her sister to nearly lose her grasp on her own jar again. "I don't suck, your sense of humor does."

"All three of us?" Ruby countered.

Yang looked over all three of her teammates, eyes resting on each of them for a few moments before moving onto the rest. "Yes."

The fact that Yang had been able to say that with a completely straight and deadpan face made her sister giggle. Yang joined in shortly afterward, and soon enough even Blake was forced to smile lightly at the interaction between her teammates. The one girl who did seem amused was Weiss.

Outside of her agreement with Ruby only moments earlier she had been unusually quiet this day. It was no surprise that she chose to vocalize her displeasure with the current task at hand, but once that minute issue was resolved she returned to her uncharacteristic shell. It been like this for the past couple of days. Ever since Winter had come.

As far as Blake could tell, Weiss had not heard from her sister since their last meeting in Team RWBY's dorm. The Schnee heiress was undoubtedly worried about her older sister. Blake could relate to that all too well. Her own father had once been the leader of the White Fang. Back before some of them had become... misguided. Back when she was just a child and her father would go away on trips for the organization, she would always be worried for him. Even when he specifically told her there would be no risk involved, and that they were a peaceful group, she still worried. Blake had experienced a world of discrimination and violence firsthand. Just because her father had said everything would be alright did not mean that it would be.

That inner turmoil must have been what was consuming Weiss at this very moment. Wondering where Winter was. Wondering if she was lying dead in a gutter somewhere waiting to be discovered by local law enforcement. Blake did not know what business the Atlesian soldier had in Vale, but if it brought someone like her here then it must have been dangerous. There was no doubt that Weiss realized this as well.

"Kay," Yang said, initiating the next conversation. "Professor Goodwitch said we just have to stick this spigot thingy in a tree and the sap should come out," she said as she produced what looked like a hollow metal tube.

"Oh, fun," Ruby said as she went over to look at the device in her sister's hand. "Where's mine?"

"This is yours."

Ruby blinked. "Oh. Where's yours?"

"This is mine too."

The cloaked girl frowned now. "Wait, what?"

Yang shrugged in response. It was curious how she of all people did not seem to be too bothered by the class exercise. "Each team has one. We share it."

"Wha- buh- that's dumb!" Ruby said, likely vocalizing everyone's thoughts. "I could be training right now! I could be out with Crescent Rose sniping Beowolves! But instead I have to sit around and wait for that thing," she said pointing to the spigot. "To collect _four_ whole jars of sap?"

"Chill out, Rubes," Yang said as she patted her sister on the head. "Better than being stuck in class all day, right? We've basically got a free day until four."

"I still think it's dumb." Their leader turned to her partner for backup. "Right, Weiss?"

The pale-skinned girl did not respond immediately. It took a few seconds to realize she had been addressed. "I'm sorry, what?"

Blake saw how Ruby frowned. Weiss' partner knew that it wasn't like the girl to zone out like she was. "Everything okay, Weiss?"

The heiress' head nodded softly, all the while a blank expression on her face. "I'm fine."

Blake didn't buy it. And it appeared Ruby didn't either. Numerous people had their opinions on the behavior and maturity of the youngest team leader at Beacon. She was said to be loud, crude and juvenile by some who did not know her all that well. However Blake would take all of those negative words and put a positive spin on them. Ruby was energetic. She was charismatic. And she was learning. However there was one trait of Ruby which no one would dispute, and that was that the girl was caring. The last of those was frequently on display when it came to her partner and self-proclaimed best friend.

Ruby sidled up next to Weiss before bumping the girl's hip with one of her own. "Are you sure?" she said with obvious exaggeration in her tone.

The goal had been at best to make Weiss smile, or at the very least take her mind off of whatever was bothering her. So it came as a surprise to both Ruby and Blake that the girl did not show any sign of happiness or even anger at their leader's actions. Rather she just frowned before looking to the girl at her side.

"I'm just... worried, is all," Weiss confessed.

Blake saw how Yang raised an eyebrow at the honesty. Weiss was never one to wear her emotions on her sleeves. Well, that wasn't entirely true. She did tend to have quite an anger problem when she was dealing with annoying people or situations. Ruby and Jaune were the two biggest offenders, and that was why it was particularly surprising to not see the typical reaction from the Schnee girl.

Ruby's playfulness disappeared in an instant when confronted with the severity in Weiss' tone and expression. Like every other girl here, Ruby had grown over the past few months. She had taken her role as leader seriously and made it her goal to be the best one that she could be.

"Winter?" she asked, that tiny voice of hers making the name of a truly fearsome woman sound nonthreatening.

Weiss nodded. "It's silly, I know. But I can't help but be worried that she has not contacted me for two days now. She said she would return in a day or two. And it's been two days. Winter never goes back on her word."

Ruby nodded. "Well maybe something came up," she offered helpfully. "I mean she is a huntress, right?"

Weiss nodded.

"And a soldier?"

"Yes."

"So that's like, twice the responsibility!" Ruby concluded. "And twice the skill too. That's like huntress squared or something! It'd be like two of me in the same body!"

Yang shivered exaggeratedly as she hugged her arms close to her torso. "What a terrifying thought."

Ruby's eyes narrowed on her sister before returning to Weiss. "But like, yeah. Your sister is awesome. I don't even need to see her fight to tell that she can handle herself against whatever the world throws at her. She's a Schnee, isn't she?"

The flattery of her sister seemed to cause Weiss to hold her head a bit higher than before. "Indeed she is."

"Then there's no reason to worry!" Ruby proclaimed with an arm pointed enthusiastically toward the sky. "If she's anything like you she's probably out there kicking butt and taking names."

Blake smirked. Even when she was doing her best to be serious, it was only a matter of time before Ruby's natural playfulness and child-like nature came out. It wasn't a bad thing by any means. Most of the time it in fact helped defuse a tense or difficult situation. The current situation was just the latest example. Weiss was already moving with more confidence than she had been previously. It showed just why Ruby had been named the team leader. Even if on the surface she was as times clumsy and socially awkward, deep down she was a people person because her motives were always genuine and good.

"You're probably correct," Weiss said with a nod. "I'm sure she's just busy dealing with the infestation of White Fang terrorists who have infiltrated the city."

Those words caused Blake's shoulders to stiffen. For more than one reason. It was more than the choice of words which Weiss had used to describe her one-time comrades in arms. While words like "infestation" and "terrorist" carried inherently negative connotations, it was the fact that the White Fang had established cells in Vale to the point where they required the attention of Atlesian soldiers that surprised the dark-haired girl the most.

Ruby was the one to voice Blake's own internal surprise. "The White Fang? Here in Vale?"

"Yes," Weiss confirmed. "Though if you've been paying attention to the news as of late that much should have been obvious."

Blake had been unaware of any major operations going on within Vale. Then again she had been out of the loop for a while now. They were definitely in Menagerie, with it being a faunus stronghold. The decadent and corrupt kingdom of Mistral would have no qualms about harboring fugitives and freedom fighters. And the decentralized government of Vacuo would likely be unable to prevent the White Fang's operations even if they did care enough to try and stop them. But Vale? Atlas' closest ally? It was a bold step for her former organization.

Their energetic leader frowned at Weiss' accusatory tone, but it did not deter her from her overall goal. "Well still. Your sister should be able to take care of herself."

"Of course," Weiss agreed. "In the end my sister is worth a hundred of those... those... rapscallions." Ruby's face expressed confusion at the utterance of the last word, but Weiss went on before she could raise any questions. "She can probably take out the entire cell by herself. In fact she's probably doing just that at this very moment, and that's why she hasn't been able to contact me."

By this point Yang had already stuck her spigot into a large, healthy looking tree and began draining it of the sweet sap within. She had been unusually silent now just as Weiss had been previously. Most of the time Blake would have been thankful for this. However at this point it would have just been nice to have someone equally as vocal as Weiss to either counter her arguments or change the subject entirely.

Progress was slow as Ruby had expected it would be. The first jar was being filled drip by drip with the dark red sap of the tree, and at this pace it may very well take hours to accomplish. No wonder Professor Goodwitch had given them until the mid afternoon to complete the task.

The inactivity only seemed to make Weiss wish to speak more to fill the silence. "But it figures that those degenerates would choose Vale as their next target," she said as she began pacing back and forth. "Their own continent is a primitive wasteland, so they choose to take it out on the more wealthy and prosperous kingdoms. First Atlas and now Vale. It's unbelievable really."

Now Weiss was beginning to get on her nerves. More words which, deliberately or not, were painting the entirety of the White Fang with a broad brush. Degenerates. Primitive. Blake may have believed that some members, most notably Adam, were misguided, but their cause was still just. Faunus rights and equality was an idea that was worth fighting for. Yes, the murder of civilians as wrong. However a few bad apples did not make the entire group rotten.

Blake decided to finally say something. She did her best to try and keep the edge out of her voice. "How do you know that Menagerie is a wasteland?"

Weiss stopped her movement and looked at her. "I've heard stories," she said dismissively. "And after all, when your government is basically sponsoring world-wide terrorism I can't imagine it would be a very pleasant place to live."

"The White Fang aren't terrorists," Blake said. "They're an organization fighting for freedom and equality."

"Freedom and equality? I seem to recall slavery being abolished following the Great War."

"Just because faunus aren't slaves anymore doesn't make them equal in the eyes of humanity."

Weiss threw her arms up in the air. "Faunus workers get paid to work just like everyone else. Faunus students are enrolled at Beacon. What the White Fang are doing is inventing a bunch of propaganda just so they can get outraged by every offense and justify their violent behavior."

"They're not inventing anything," Blake retorted. "If you can't see the inequality in the world then maybe you really do deserve the name Schnee."

"How dare you!" Weiss exploded. "Just because I'm a Schnee doesn't make me some kind of racist. I just call it how I see it, and the White Fang are a bunch of murderous terrorists!"

Blake was about to respond in kind. She was about to lose control. But one look at the wide eyes of Ruby and Yang told her to back down now before it was too late.

She took a deep breath as she closed her amber eyes. "I'm going to go patrol and make sure there aren't any Grimm nearby."

"Fine. I could use some fresh air in the opposite direction."

Yang interjected at Weiss' comment. "Uh, Weiss? We're in the middle of a forest. I don't think the air gets any fresher than this."

"Some fresh air that isn't being breathed by other people at the moment," the heiress replied.

Without waiting for another comment from anyone, Blake stormed away as she unsheathed Gambol Shroud. She sincerely hoped she did run into a few Beowolves at this point. She needed to blow off some steam.

The arrogance and total ignorance of that girl were infuriating. Prior to today she had given Weiss the benefit of the doubt. Maybe she wouldn't have been like her family. And maybe she wasn't. Not exactly at least.

While Weiss did not seem to hate the faunus species as a whole, it was obvious that she did indeed hate the White Fang. And it was clear that she did not seem to notice that there was a distinct difference in the world between those who were human and those who were faunus. It was this denial which set Blake off the most. At least with a known racist you knew where they stood. They had their prejudices and hatreds, and they were free to wallow in their own stupidity.

However Weiss denied that it even existed. She looked at things on only the surface level. Yes, faunus workers were paid where before they were slaves. But their wages were lower. Their working conditions were more hazardous. And yes, faunus students could enroll at Beacon. Yet this did not stop students like Cardin Winchester from picking on them simply because they were faunus with no repercussions from the staff.

Blake swung her sword, burying it deep into the bark of a nearby tree. When she extracted it she saw a thick red ooze begin to seep from the cut. Perhaps she should go back and get her own empty jar and fill it with the sap from this tree. At least that way she wouldn't have to be by Weiss.

Instead of doing so, however, Blake merely continued her duty as sentry. As much as she was angry with the white-haired girl right now she did not wish any harm upon her. Perhaps another time when they were both more calm and collected they could have a real discussion about the issues which affected the faunus to this day. The issues that breathed life into the White Fang.

* * *

There were worse ways to spend an afternoon. Despite everything that had happened so far.

Jaune looked to the single full jar of tree sap he possessed, clutched greedily in his arms. In actuality it was Pyrrha's jar, but by extension it was the entire team's. Someone took that line of thinking a bit too far, however. A certain red-head not named Pyrrha Nikos, to be specific. The only reason it was full was because he had not let it out of his sight. He had learned his lesson. Eventually.

There were three other jars lying around, each no longer clear glass as they had started out as. A think, translucent slime tinted the insides of the containers a dark red color, a reminder of what had once been inside. They should have completed their assignment some time ago. They would have too if not for that certain somebody who now lay sprawled on the ground clutching her abdomen.

Despite Nora's obvious pain, her best friend and partner Ren did not tend to her. Rather he stood next to a tree with the sharpened metal tube stuck into it. The dark-haired boy hunched over to peer inside the hollow object to see if this tree would bear any figurative fruit. A frown on the normally emotionless face of the boy told the entire story.

However it did not stop him from saying as much as he turned around. "This one's dry too," he said softly.

Jaune nodded. It was the result they had all grown used to hearing. It had taken time to find enough trees which actually contained the sap which they sought. It had taken longer to find ones which would fill their massive jars with enough to appease Professor Goodwitch. The end result was nearly all for nothing after Hurricane Nora had passed by, guzzling down each jar as quickly as it was filled.

"Perhaps we should broaden our search parameters?" Pyrrha suggested.

It wouldn't hurt. So far they had stayed relatively close to the place they had started their search. Probably no more than twenty feet in any direction had been travelled in their search. And while it likely would not increase their overall odds by picking a tree fifty yards away as opposed to five, right now any sort of change seemed like a good thing.

"Yeah," Jaune agreed. He pointed a thumb arbitrarily to his left as he looked to his partner. "I'll go find a tree over that way. If I find anything when I break the bark with my sword I'll come back and grab a jar."

Pyrrha nodded, hefting Miló in its spear form and starting off in another direction.

As Jaune walked by Nora he saw her squirming on her side, an arm extended to reach up for the sky. "Ren..." she moaned.

Jaune stopped as he looked over to Ren who was now moving back over to where Nora lay. His hands were clasped behind his back as he looked down at her.

"Ren... when they make statues of me... make sure they don't portray me as I am now."

The blonde smirked at the thought. Normally when a young warrior woman like Nora was depicted in marble or bronze she would be striking a heroic pose, hefting her signature weapon and inspiring all of those who looked upon her. It was an amusing idea to have her instead on her side, mouth stained with red sap and looking about as intimidating as a slug stuck in a salt mine.

"I'll be sure to tell them," Ren deadpanned.

"Avenge me... Ren..."

"Against what? The trees?"

Nora grimaced, her teeth bared in pain as she rolled over on her back. "Yes... burn them all."

Jaune shook his head silently before he headed off in the direction he had indicated earlier. This was fine. Everything would be fine. Pyrrha would look in one direction. He would look in another. And Ren would look after his incapacitated partner while she recovered from her stolen sap-induced stomach ache. He had no idea if she was able to fight at the moment so it was a good thing that Ren would be looking after her.

With no real destination in mine Jaune had no idea how long he had walked for. A minute? Two? He didn't know. However he was a decent distance from the rest of his team now as well as the rest. There were no other students around him and the likelihood of finding an untapped tree was... decent maybe? There really was no rhyme or reason to his search.

He picked a tree out at random before unsheathing Crocea Mors. Looking down at the sword he could see his distorted reflection in the length of the blade. Everything about it felt so natural now. Where before his blade had been seen as a weapon or a tool, it now felt like an extension of his body. Despite the decent weight which it had, it felt very light to him now. Perhaps it was just that he was far stronger than he was a few months ago. Or maybe it was that hefting the sword felt natural now after so much practice with it. He couldn't say which was correct. One thing he did know, however, was that his confidence with it was unparalleled to any other time in his young life.

A quick horizontal slash sliced through the bark of a tree as if it were paper. An amused breath escaped his mouth at the thought. As he had learned in school long ago, paper was made from trees. Of course he knew that the process was far more complicated than that, but the comparison he had made was humorous to him nonetheless.

The amusement quickly drained from his body as he saw that nothing came from this tree. With a frustrated sigh he walked another ten feet as he picked yet another random tree.

"This would have been so much easier if every time we filled a jar we didn't have to refill the one we just did before that..."

The low grumbling was for no one's benefit from his own. He loved Nora like the sister he never had, and by that he simply meant that none of his seven real sisters were the personification of insanity like she was. However he sometimes wondered how he would make it through four years with her as one of his teammates. He wondered how he had lasted nearly an entire semester.

After reaching another tree Jaune repeated the same process as before. This time he had struck gold, or in this case, sap. The thick, sweet-smelling sap which would one day top Ren's pancakes began to seep out of the wound which Jaune had inflicted on the tree. Happy that he had finally made some progress he set off back in the direction he had come in order to obtain his team's spigot and jars.

He stopped in his tracks, however, as a low rumbling sounded from behind him.

The hairs on the back of Jaune's neck stood as he turned around in a flash. What he saw made his eyes widen in surprise.

An Ursa was slowly peddling towards him, walking on all fours as its head moved from side to side sniffing the air as it went. Its thick mask of bone sheltered two red, glowing eyes which had subsequently settled on Jaune and the tree he stood next to.

A moment later Jaune was hit with a memory. It was in fact a miracle that he remembered at all due to the fact that it came from Professor Port's class. Ursai like the one before him were attracted to the very red sap which he and the rest of his fellow students were collecting. He didn't know why. At this point it didn't really matter. The fact was that there was a large, menacing-looking Grimm making its way to where he stood.

Instincts kicked in. He could run. He could make a mad dash back to where his team was currently encamped. Pyrrha would be able to take it out with no sweat. Even Nora in her current condition surely wouldn't pass up the chance to take a swing at the monstrosity. That was the easy choice. The was the safe choice.

 _Why are you here, Jaune?_

Like Professor Port, another teacher's lesson echoed in his mind. Only this one was short both in stature and temper.

Weiss had asked him why he was at Beacon just before they had traveled through the Emerald Forest together.

 _To kill Grimm._

She had answered the question for him as well.

This was why here was here. At the very core of all of his hopes and aspirations was one thing which he would never be able to run from if he wanted to achieve his dreams. He wanted to be a hero. He wanted to help people. How would he ever be able to do those things if he couldn't stand up to a miserable creature of Grimm by himself?

Steeled by his resolve Jaune took hold of the scabbard at his hip and extended it into its shield form. The Ursa still stepped ponderously toward him, and if Jaune hadn't known better he would think that the monster was sizing him up for the upcoming fight. He did know better, however. Grimm didn't strategize. But he did.

Keeping his shield close by his side, Jaune inched closer to the beast with Crocea Mors up chest high. His heart pounded in his chest, and he could feel it slamming into his newly-repaired breastplate. Hopefully it would come out better this time than it had against the Beowolves.

A large, meaty paw lashed out with surprising quickness and reach. The long appendage of the Ursa slammed into the shield which Jaune raised to protect himself from the strike. It felt as if a hundred Weiss' had thrust their rapiers into him at once, and the force of the blow sent him reeling back and almost toppling over onto his backside. That would have been a poor way to start the battle, and it may have even been what ended it if he wasn't able to get back to his feet in time to prepare for the next strike. Thankfully this had not come to pass, and he was still on his feet and in the fight.

He didn't come away unscathed, however. Jaune's arm ached from the bone-jarring impact. It may have done little actual damage to his Aura, but the effects of the hit were enough to make him wary. They were enough to bring yet another memory to the forefront of his mind.

Jaune had once before tried to match his own strength against someone else who was more powerful than him. It had not gone well. Even with his newfound strength he knew that there were still plenty of people out there who were stronger than him. This would not work. He had found that out firsthand. Even if he had not, he had been reminded of such in one of his lessons with Weiss. Being bullheaded about this was not the way to go. He had to be smart.

The Ursa was a huge mass of muscle and bone that could tear him apart in an instant should it get his paws on him. Therefore Jaune would have to ensure that it did not. All of its size made it slow and cumbersome. To defeat it he would have to use an evasion strategy and pick his spots when an opening came about. This was what Weiss did too. She was far too tiny to ever take one someone like Cardin, or even Jaune himself in a battle of strength. Jaune knew that he had to emulate his instructor if he wanted a chance of coming out of this alive and victorious.

The creature was advancing on him again, its slow steps only proving Jaune's internal strategy session to be correct. It raised a forelimb to take another swipe at him, but as it did so Jaune rolled to his left and away from the attack. The Ursa hit nothing but air, and a moment later was rewarded for its effort with a slash to its side. It roared violently and looked over to see Jaune unload another two strokes from Crocea Mors before it attempted to swat at him again on the backswing of the same forearm.

Jaune jumped back away from the strike and once more evaded damage. This felt good, but he knew he could not treat this as if it were a game. For all he knew there could be an entire pack of Ursai out in search of the sweet sap which they were inexplicitly drawn to. Getting tunnel vision now could cost him his life.

The enraged beast seemed to regard him as more of a threat now if its body language told him anything about its mindset. The Ursa reared up and stood on its hind legs to dwarf a young man who himself stood just over six feet in height. Jaune couldn't begin to guess how tall it must have been now. All he knew was that playtime was over, and apparently both he and the creature realized as much.

Jaune bit down onto his lower lip at the sight of the intimidating Ursa which stood before him. Though he doubted it was the creature's intent, the fact that it now stood at least twice his height was truly a terrifying sight. However he could not let this affect his plan. He had to remain calm and composed.

The Ursa brought its paw down as if it were wielding Magnhild itself, and Jaune dove forward underneath the massive limb to get inside of the Grimm's guard. He rolled as the claw made contact with the ground, sending a plume of dirt up with the impact. Without wasting any time or motion Jaune was up on a single knee and plunged Crocea Mors into the exposed midsection of the Grimm. A bloodcurdling roar sounded as he twisted the blade inside its body, rending flesh and tearing sinew as he did so.

Against any other opponent this may have been enough. People were not only less durable, but they had a sense of self-preservation as well. Grimm it would seem did not possess such a mindset, and the Ursa did not did, nor did it make an attempt to retreat. Instead it merely brought its left paw around to swat Jaune away from its body.

The attack connected this time and the young huntsman was sent tumbling away from the creature. He gritted his teeth and wondered just how much of a hit his Aura must have taken from such a powerful blow. There was no time to check his scroll however and he immediately got to his feet once more.

It had not all been for naught, though. The Ursa was visibly damaged by his previous attack. If the large red hole in its stomach area didn't tell him that already, its mannerisms did. It was back down on all four paws, the effort of maintaining its balance on its hind legs alone likely causing it a fair amount of pain.

Pain was a powerful motivator though. It came at him again seemingly enraged, more akin to a charging bull than a bear-like creature of Grimm. It swatted away at him with both paws, alternating with each arm as every strike either missed or was deflected with Jaune's shield. As Weiss had taught him, you did not have to evade every strike. A simple deflection could be just as valuable, and as long as the contact was only a glancing blow it would do little to no harm to the person on the receiving end. Jaune used this to his advantage as each swipe he deflected from the Ursa's paws was immediately followed up by a swift slash from Crocea Mors at the exposed limbs of the Ursa. Soon enough each of its paws were a shredded mess as a result of the cuts and slices from his ancestral blade.

Ultimately he was getting nowhere. He doubted that the Grimm would tire or retreat. This had to end. As he had thought earlier, there could be more of the creatures out there. As the Ursa's latest attack came Jaune swung his blade and made contact with the bony mask adorned on the creature's face. The sword dug into the white plate but did not push through and cut the flesh as he had wanted. Another bludgeoning blow from the injured, but no less dangerous claw of the beast punched into Jaune's torso and sent him stumbling back before he dropped to a knee gasping for air. Though he had never experienced it, the thought of cracked or broken ribs briefly entered his mind. His shield slipped from his grip as he held his stomach gasping for air.

He had to roll again as the Ursa continued its relentless assault, and as a result was unable to collect his shield. Jaune stood once more with Crocea Mors as the only thing which now stood between him and the creature. Stabbing its stomach hadn't worked. Slashing at its side and claws had only been a nuisance for the beast. And his one-handed slash against its skull had not been powerful enough to penetrate it fully. A new plan formed in his head. All he had to do was draw it in one more time.

Jaune took a few steps back, the Ursa following him as he did so. Creatures of Grimm may have been powerful and enduring foes, but they were not intelligent. It had been only a couple of minutes of combat and Jaune had learned how to predict its attack patterns. The Ursa, unlike Beowolves, used only its forearms for its attacks. It would either swipe with its claws or bring its meaty paw down like a hammer to crush its opponent. That was how he would get in again.

As he had predicted the Ursa brought its injured forearm down again to try and smash Jaune's skull in. He rolled aside once more to his left, and while the Ursa's right claw was still coming back up from its attack Jaune gripped Crocea Mors in both hands and slashed down in a diagonal angle from left to right. The resulting strike tore through the bone mask, flesh and skull with ease this time, and with one final roar of pain the creature collapsed first onto its forearms and knees before falling completely on its stomach. Moments later its body began to fade away into nothingness.

Jaune smiled a pained yet triumphant grin as he dropped down to a knee. He planted the tip of Crocea Mors into the dirt to help support the weight of his own body. Had it not been for his breastplate he believed his ribs would have been shattered for sure. For all he knew there still could be damage to that area.

He closed his eyes as he sought to catch his breath. He didn't know whether or not he should blame or thank Nora for this. He would not have encountered the Grimm had he not been forced to go off and find more sources of sap. If she had not drank most of what they had already found the battle would have never taken place. However Jaune had slain a mighty Ursa on his own. He hadn't needed Weiss like back in the Emerald Forest with the pack of Beowolves. He hadn't needed the rest of teams RWBY and JNPR like during initiation. He had done this all on his own. With his own talent and effort.

It was decided. He was going to give Nora a huge hug when he returned to the rest of the team. He sincerely hoped that his ribs were indeed not broken, because the passionate response he would no doubt get from the girl would not be good for his health if they were.

He was stirred from his thoughts when he heard a voice from behind him.

"Well done," the girl said.

He knew who it was in an instant despite not seeing her and despite her... complementary tone. Jaune turned to see the familiar white-clad standing near a tree about twenty feet away from him.

After he stood up Weiss began to slowly walk in his direction. Myrtenaster was still sheathed at her side, and to him that spoke volumes. The fact that her weapon was not out and ready for her to intervene at a moment's notice told him that she believed in him. That she had no doubts about his abilities when it came to defeating the Ursa. At least that was how he interpreted it. He hoped he was correct.

"Thanks," Jaune said as he went over and picked his shield up from the ground. A moment later it was compacted and hung from his belt before sheathing Crocea Mors.

"I saw how you adjusted to the situation, how you took our lessons and applied them practically." The praise was... unusual to say the least. Then again maybe he was deserving of it. "It appears my skills as an instructor truly are second to none."

There it was. Jaune smiled and chuckled at the idea of Weiss saying anything favorable about him that did not somehow relate to herself. He wasn't offended by it. He had come to expect such behavior from the girl.

"Yeah, let's go with that," he said as he neared her. Looking around he saw no one else from Team RWBY with her. "Where's the rest of your team?"

The pleased look on the heiress' face disappeared and was replaced with a small scowl. "Collecting sap," she said simply.

Well of course, that's why they were out there. That was what Jaune had wanted to say. However he doubted a smartass response like that would have gone over well with Weiss when she appeared to be in a less than pleasant mood. Fighting technique was not the only thing he had learned from the girl in the past few months.

"Is Ruby drinking it all like Nora is?" he asked instead. It would certainly have explained why her mood darkened at the mention of her team. "That's why I'm out this far all alone. Gotta find more and hope that it doesn't disappear like three of our jars have already."

"No. Luckily Ruby has not devolved to that level of irresponsibility," she said. A moment later her expression softened as she continued. "I like to believe that I have been a good influence on her, just as I have been on you. She's starting to behave like a true leader these days."

Jaune smiled. She had indeed been a positive influence on him. The fact that he had just slain an Ursa single-handedly proved as much.

"So, um, I found some sap over there," he said pointing to the tree which he had found just prior to the Grimm attack. "I'm gonna go head back and get a jar to fill. Wanna come?"

Her hands were folded in front of her, and for long seconds she did not respond to his question. Jaune was about to speak again to ask if something was wrong, but she finally spoke before he could.

"Very well."

He could tell something was bothering her. But the last thing he wanted to do was pry. After he had come so far in this friendship with her, and as Yang had said, potentially something more, then scaring her off by being overly-curious would be disastrous.

Instead the two spent their time walking in silence that could not be described as either comfortable nor uncomfortable. It was indeed a microcosm for their entire relationship.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Not as long as recent chapters have been, but important stuff happened nonetheless.

Comments, questions or concerns? Let me know. I do love your feedback.

Thanks for reading.


	19. Chapter 19

**Author's Note:** Alright, here we are again with another update. I'd like to of course thank everyone for their words of encouragement both in reviews and privately. The fact that you all care about this story is such an inspiration, and I truly appreciate all of you for taking the time to read this. The amount of attention and popularity this story has gotten continues to surprise me with each update. So thank you to everyone who continues to support it.

I know that the updating speed has slowed recently, but I will not stop the story until it's done. And I'll try and never let it go too long without getting updated. Of course I'm going to attempt to get things back to how they used to be, but just in case they don't I want to assure everyone that I'm not going anywhere.

As we approach the end I'll probably begin posting another story as well just to try and keep me sane. 170,000 words of Letters to Winter in the span of 6 months has really made me want to write something new, despite how much I do love White Knight. We'll see where that goes.

Anyway, hopefully you enjoy the chapter.

* * *

The weekend brought a much needed break from the anxiety which came with typical student life at Beacon. Between regular classes, extracurricular training sessions and worrying over her sister, the last thing Weiss needed was another source of stress.

The minor incident between herself and Blake the other day had seemingly passed. While neither of the girls had spoken to each other much since then, there were no outward signs of hostility either. Perhaps if the problem was ignored for long enough it would just go away on its own.

It was how things tended to go in the Schnee household. For anyone other than her father, that was. Her mother would seclude herself for a day or two drinking in the garden where she thought no one would know what she was up to. Whitley would normally spend time alone in his room, doing whatever it was that a child like himself would. Weiss had no idea, nor did she care. When it came to herself though, she would head to the mansion's training room where she and Winter before her had spent countless years honing their crafts.

Normally these activities would last long enough for her father's anger to blow over, and in a day whatever it was that had caused him to lash out would pass. Then he would return to normal as if nothing had ever happened, as if he just expected you to forget the yelling which may have been directed at you if you were in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Weiss frowned at the memories which filled her head. She looked around to try and focus on something which would take her attention off of her past.

The city of Vale truly was a massive and diverse collection of buildings and people. She had already seen a small portion of it several weeks ago during her impromptu shopping trip with Ruby, but such a trip had barely scratched the surface of what was out there. Where before they had gone to one of the many commercial districts filled with shops and stores of all sizes and varieties, this time they were headed for the docks which lay in the more industrial focused portion of the city.

However this time it was not just Ruby who accompanied her. Yang and Blake had joined them for what Ruby had determined should be a team-building exercise. If Weiss knew her partner like she think she did, this was in response for what had happened in Forever Fall. It was so like Ruby to want to fix things like this. She hated conflict which didn't involve Crescent Rose making contact with the body of a creature of Grimm. Seeing members of her team argue like they had must have made Ruby particularly upset, even if she did not come out and say as much.

So Ruby had decided to take the initiative and bring them all out here based on the rumor that the exchange students would begin trickling into Vale today. Each of the girls knew that the Vytal Festival was being held later in the year, and based on how quickly the first semester was going by it would be no time at all until the second came and the tournament was under way. To scout out the opposition was a sound strategy, one that Weiss did not think that Ruby had in her. Perhaps she was not giving the girl enough credit. Ruby had learned and grown a lot since the beginning of the year, and Weiss had thought that she played a part in Ruby's learning experience. Maybe her propensity for strategizing had rubbed off on her leader as well.

Weiss wondered if she would be able to goad her partner into just such a confession. "I must admit, I'm surprised to see you taking such a proactive approach to the upcoming competition."

Ruby waved a hand dismissively at the comment. "What are you talking about? I'm proactive all the time. I'm Miss Proactive."

"Nah," Yang chimed in as she sidled up close to her sister. "If you had it your way you'd be in bed right now with a box of cookies and the latest issue of your weird weapons and dust magazine."

"It's not weird!" the shorter girl protested.

"But I didn't hear a denial."

"You won't be calling it weird when I upgrade Crescent Rose to have the latest and most powerful scope on the market."

Yang chuckled. "Sure, whatever you say. I guess I can't really complain about you being all weird about weapons anymore now that you've made a bunch of new friends."

Ruby beamed with pride at the compliment. While Weiss did not know all the details of Ruby's life prior to attending Beacon Academy, what she did know was that the red-cloaked girl was the epitome of socially awkward. After all, the heiress had experienced it firsthand. One dust explosion and numerous arguments later, the two had come to tolerate one another and eventually grow closer.

It wasn't only Weiss who had become close to the girl either. Blake and the whole of Team JNPR could be counted as close friends of Ruby now. Especially the bumbling blonde leader of their sister team. Weiss believed that Jaune was a close second place when it came to Ruby's best friend, behind only herself.

"That's right," Ruby said with a nod. Weiss felt herself suddenly being pulled to her side as an arm wrapped around her shoulder to pull her into an embrace. "Me and my bestie here are gonna kick all kinds of butt in the tournament. Isn't that right, Weiss?"

There had once been a time where Weiss would not have tolerated the blatant invasion of her personal space. She especially would not have tolerated it from the girl at her side. However while she still felt uncomfortable with such intimacy, she would no longer repel the girl with the force of a Semblance-made glyph.

Weiss reached up to pry the offending hand from her shoulder and place it back down at Ruby's side. "Yes," she said, taking a deep breath afterward.

Her nose wrinkled at the odd stench which suddenly filled the air. It was one she was unfamiliar with, but could only imagine what it was due to where they were.

The docks of Vale were up ahead, and already they could see the reflection of the setting sun on the water which stretched all the way to the horizon and beyond. The tall factories and processing plants of the industrial district were behind them now, replaced with smaller warehouses and depots which might have housed anything the heiress could imagine. Beyond all of that still lay the docks themselves, a massive collection of wooden slips filled with boats beyond counting. They ranged from smaller personal craft to enormous freighters, each with its own cargo and story behind it. Weiss only cared about one kind of story, however. The kind that would give her an advantage in the upcoming tournament.

She had to perform well in the tournament. It went beyond just impressing the countless number of people who would be watching her live in attendance as well as around the world. It even went beyond bringing glory and honor to the Schnee name. This tournament was about making a name for herself. It was a chance to step out from the shadow of her family's name, her family's reputation. Out of the shadow of her father. The world would know that her name was Weiss, and that _her_ family's name was still something to be respected and admired. _She_ would represent that name, and not the man who had married into it.

Weiss was disturbed from her train of thought when she felt a bump on her shoulder. Looking over to her right she saw Ruby giving her a quizzical look.

"Hmm?" Weiss wondered.

"Did you hear what I said?"

Weiss took a moment to compose herself and collect her thoughts. "No, I'm sorry. I guess I must have spaced out for a moment."

"I asked if you smelled that too."

The heiress nodded. The disgusting smell had a fishy odor to it, and would assume that fish were indeed the cause of it. She had never been nearby a dock before, or any large body of water period. The city of Atlas was further inland than Mantle. Even if she had grown up in or spent a significant amount of time in the coastal city, she would not have spent that time outdoors. Not in that climate.

Looking to her teammates she saw that Yang too had a slightly disgusted look on her face. Ruby's own nose was scrunched up, and she pulled her cloak over the bottom half of her face like it was some sort of improvised gas mask. Only Blake seemed unaffected by the stench, judging by the pleased expression on her face. If Weiss had to make a guess she would even go as far as to say that the girl enjoyed the smell.

As far as Weiss was concerned the stench warranted further comment. "I can't believe there are people traveling all the way from other kingdoms by ship." She folded her arms across her chest and shivered at the thought of such a voyage rather than at the cool sea air.

"Yeah, well not everyone can be a princess from Atlas," Yang joked.

"Just because I have money does not make me a princess."

The blonde brought an arm up to her forehead dramatically. "Oh I can't imagine traveling by sea like the rest of the commoners." The ensuing giggle from Ruby did nothing to enhance the joke in Weiss' mind.

"Traveling by sea is perfectly fine," Weiss insisted. "In fact a luxury cruise is a perfectly enjoyable way to vacation for a week."

"Spoken like a true princess."

The heiress' nostrils flared and her fists clenched. "I am not a princess."

As Yang was about to retort Blake thankfully intervened. As usual she was the only other voice of reason on the team. "Look," she said as she pointed up ahead.

Weiss followed the girl's hand to a massive cargo ship that was currently docked up ahead and to their right. A ship with a grey and red hull seemed to be bustling with activity. Men were milling about both on the dock and up on the top deck of the vessel, while cranes were slowly and ponderously lowering crates onto the backs of waiting vehicles below.

The heiress did not see what Blake saw no matter where she looked or how hard she squinted. When she was just about to voice her complaint a figure leapt from the ship and onto the dock below.

A pair of men appeared where he had leapt from only seconds later. One of them raised his hand into the air. "Stop!"

The second gestured in kind. "You no-good stowaway!"

The boy, no, the _faunus_ had climbed up a nearby lamp post and was hanging upside down from it by his tail. He shouted something back to the men aboard the ship, but from this distance and with his back turned to her, Weiss was unable to make out what it was the faunus had said.

She did know one thing, however. He was a stowaway. A criminal. On top of that, now he was fleeing from the scene of his crime.

The faunus tossed a banana peel down onto the dock below. Weiss was sure there was a comment to be made about stereotypes at this moment, however she bit her tongue. She merely added littering to her mental list of crimes committed by the blonde boy. What was it about blonde males that made it so easy to annoy her?

He started running. Away from the ship and towards them. Towards her. Weiss' heart raced and her eyes widened. She was not just being paranoid. She was not imagining it. He was coming straight for her. Just as they had in the past. While driving through the city. While attending class. While spending time with her friends. They had always come. Not only for her. For everyone else associated with the Schnee Dust Company. For everyone else she cared about.

A hand reached down with lightning speed to grasp the handle of Myrtenaster and bring it up to defend herself, but it was too late. He was already on top of them. His monkey tail swished through the air as ran, and at this close distance she could see a gleam in his blue eyes. Eyes that promised murder. Terror. Death.

However he did no such thing. His eyes did not even so much as glance at her when he passed. They were on the girl next to her. The boy winked. There was no hostility. No aggression. No malice. Just a simple wink and he was past them, running away from the men from the docks who had decided to pursue him.

Weiss' breath came out in ragged gasps as she sought to compose herself. He was gone. She was safe. The knuckles of her left hand were almost as white as her hair as she held Myrtenaster in a death grip. Soon after her right hand closed just as tightly in anger. In frustration. In humiliation.

One glance at the girls around her told her what she must have looked like right now. Ruby's face was etched with concern. Yang raised a single eyebrow in silent question at her actions. And Blake... Blake looked at her with an almost cold indifference. It wasn't that different from how she usually looked. However if she had to take a guess, she would almost say that the black-haired girl looked disappointed.

Ruby was the first to voice her concern. "Weiss? What's wrong?"

The heiress swallowed hard before returning Myrtenaster to its sheath at her side. She took a tiny breath through her nose before she shook her head softly. "Nothing," she lied. "Nothing at all."

"You sure?" Yang chimed in. "It looked like you were about to go to war for a second there."

Yang wasn't wrong. The White Fang had been at war with her family for her entire life. Or at the very least as long as she could remember. She had witnessed assassinations of company executives. Loved ones who had been murdered. Friends and other innocents caught in the crossfire. All because of her name. All because of her father.

She had thought that this would be another one of those incidents. She was again surrounded by friends. People who she had grown to care for over the past several months. People who were about to be ripped away from her by some sort of explosive device strapped to a terrorist's chest, or die at the hands of some other sort of hidden weapon.

 _Wear the mask. Do not show weakness._ "I'm fine. Really, don't worry about me."

The warm feeling of a hand gently gripping her shoulder send chills down her spine. Weiss looked to see Ruby as the source. Silver eyes exuded concern and sympathy. Warmth. Friendliness. Love.

"Weiss..." she said in almost a whisper. It was the kind of tone that made Weiss hate herself for wanting to keep the girl shut out. "I... we saw you just freak out and grab your weapon. You looked scared."

"Yeah, don't shut us out," Yang added. "We're a team, remember?"

"We're partners."

She hated them. She hated herself. There was a time where she would have simply been able to brush off their concerned comments and walk away with her head held high. However her time in Vale had made her weak. She had found actual people whom she could place her trust in.

It was as Yang had once told her about Ruby. She was someone who Weiss could confide in. Someone who would go to the ends of Remnant for her.

The mask shattered.

Weiss looked down to see her high-heeled feet shift uncomfortably. "I thought he was going to kill me," she whispered.

Looking back up she saw Ruby and Yang furrow their brows in confusion. Only Blake seemed unaffected.

Her leader seemed taken aback by the confession. "What? Why? Do you know him?"

"No."

"Have you seen him before?" Yang asked.

"No."

"Then why?" Ruby repeated. "I've never seen you react to someone like that before. Especially not in public."

Weiss wanted to tell Ruby it was because normally there were not young faunus males charging directly toward where she was standing. Faunus who had already shown that they were criminals who had stowed away on a cargo ship in order to reach her location. However before she could say anything it was Blake who spoke up.

"It's because he was a faunus," she said. Weiss detected a trace of bitterness in her voice.

Ruby was just as confused as she was before the explanation. "Huh? That doesn't even make any sense, Blake."

"It does, actually," Weiss said as she looked over to Ruby. Her partner's silver eyes squinted as she tried to understand. "The faunus, and more specifically the White Fang have been at war with my family for years."

Weiss felt her anger beginning to rise up inside of her as she uttered the words. There were only a few select topics in the world where she was hard-pressed to control her emotions. Her father was one. The White Fang was another. The team had been forced to bear witness to that the other day on the class trip to Forever Fall.

Now she was due for another imminent eruption. With her teammates continuing to press the issue, it would only bring back memories of her childhood. Ones where her friends and family were caught in the crossfire of a group of terrorists. Ones where she and Winter bore the brunt of her father's resulting frustrations.

While Ruby remained concerned over her partner, Yang's face betrayed her own doubts over Weiss' confession. "War? Come on, Weiss. Don't you think you're being a little overdramatic?"

The pale girl spun in place to face Yang directly. "I am not being overdramatic!" she snapped. While Ruby winced at the angry tone, Yang seemed unaffected by the sudden aggression. "Am I being overdramatic when I have family members disappear, only to be found dumped in an alley a week later with their throats slit?" She stepped closer to Yang and looked up to meet her lilac eyes. "Am I being overdramatic when board members of the Schnee Dust Company are kidnapped and ransomed, sometimes murdered for some political agenda? Am I being overdramatic when a car bomb meant to kill me explodes and takes the lives of my friends instead of me?" She shoved a finger into the blonde's sternum for emphasis. "Maybe if this was how you spent your childhood you'd hate the White Fang too!"

Yang, a girl who always had a comment or a comeback for any situation, was silent. Her face and posture showed no signs of shock or dismay by the rant Weiss had just gone on. However she did not need any kind of physical reaction to show what she was thinking. Her silence was enough.

Weiss took it as a sign that she should continue. "They're all a bunch of liars. Thieves. Terrorists. Murderers!"

"Not all of them."

Weiss looked over to see that Blake had spoken once again. And just like the other day it was in defense of the White Fang. Weiss knew that she was an intelligent young woman. She was well-read in more than just her questionable choice in romantic literature. However Weiss could not possibly imagine what she could have read which would have made her in any way sympathetic towards the White Fang. It simply boggled her mind.

She turned to address Yang's partner this time. "Okay. Even if what you say is true, a group is defined by its majority. If the White Fang did not want to be seen as a bunch of nutcases then maybe they should police themselves and remove the radicals from their ranks."

Blake's eyes narrowed. "You only think the radicals are the majority because that's all the news bothers to show you. And that alone further proves that there's still a bias against the faunus species when the media has an agenda against them."

Weiss scoffed at the ridiculousness of such a statement. "So what, it's a conspiracy now?"

"It's not a conspiracy if it's the truth!"

"You know what the real conspiracy is?" Weiss asked. "The rest of the faunus race harboring and supporting the White Fang! Maybe if they turned the terrorists in to the authorities instead of looking the other way the White Fang wouldn't be a bunch of radical psychopaths!"

"The majority of the faunus species doesn't have anything to do with the White Fang! All they want to do is live their lives in peace!"

"Silence is consent! If the rest of the faunus didn't support them then why aren't they speaking out against this violence?"

"Maybe they are! Maybe there are faunus out there right now trying to make a difference with their actions!"

"Oh yeah? Where?"

"Everywhere!" Blake shouted, her hands balling up into fists. "The Atlesian media doesn't want to tell you about that because it wouldn't fit their agenda of fear-mongering!"

Ruby placed a hand on Weiss' shoulder again. "Guys..."

The heiress jerked her body away from her partner's touch, and Ruby's arm recoiled like she had just been bitten. "No!" she shouted at the girl's attempt to mediate. "If there's one thing I cannot stand in this world it's ignorance! Blake has no idea what the White Fang has done not just to my family, but to the entire world!"

Blake shook her head incredulously. "You think I'm ignorant? You're the one painting an entire species with one broad stroke! That's the epitome of ignorance!"

"It's not a stereotype if it's true! Where do you think stereotypes come from? Why do you think they exist? Did you not just see the faunus boy who ran past us? He was a criminal!"

"I can't believe you're actually saying this. I thought you were different from the rest of your family."

Ruby's small voice sounded once more, but compared to the two arguing girls it might as well have been a whisper.

"My family and I are the victims here," Weiss continued. "We give the faunus jobs. We're an equal opportunity employer. And what do we get in return? Slanderous lies about discrimination! Terrorism!"

"It's the truth! The Schnee Dust Company does discriminate! The faunus working conditions are less safe! And every attempt at negotiating has been met with silence!"

"And that just gives the White Fang the right to kill them?"

"Maybe that was the only way we could make them listen!"

Weiss' eyes widened the moment those words left Blake's mouth. A moment later the dark-haired girl's own eyes went wide and her mouth opened to speak once more, but no words came out.

The heiress felt a tightness in her chest as she unconsciously took a step backwards. "We?" she asked in a sharp whisper.

Her eyes were locked on the girl standing opposite of her. Blake too took a step backwards, but unlike Weiss she looked to her side at where Ruby and Yang were standing. A moment later her gaze returned to the girl she had just been arguing with.

"I..." Blake started before the rest of her words became lost in her throat. A second later she ran.

"Blake!" Yang called after her.

Weiss could say nothing as she watched her teammate flee the scene. It was a mad dash that would have impressed a competitive sprinter of the highest level. She hopped over obstacles and dodged passersby as she weaved through the weekend crowd which had populated the sidewalks of downtown Vale.

It took a few seconds for Weiss to snap out of her haze. When she looked to her two remaining teammates she saw the obvious looks of concern etched onto their faces.

"We..." she said to herself. "We. That means..."

"Come on," Ruby said to Yang before looking to her partner. "We have to go after her."

"We," Weiss repeated. "She's White Fang."

"Who cares about that right now," Yang said before looking back in the direction that Blake had fled. "We have to go find her and try to fix this mess."

Those words, those insensitive words, breathed life into Weiss once more. "Who cares? What do you mean who cares? Did you not hear what she said?"

"There must be an explanation. And we won't get one until we find her."

"I'm not going anywhere! Especially not for a member of the White Fang!"

The declaration made the two sisters look at her in shock. Yang's face twisted in anger while Ruby maintained that worried expression she had worn for the past several minutes.

"Weiss..." the red-cloaked girl said gently. "We have to do something. We have to make this right. The only way we can do that is to find out what's going on with Blake."

Weiss shook her head as her arms folded across her chest. "I don't care about making things right. I don't care about Blake. And neither should either of you."

"But-"

"Did you not hear her? She's a terrorist!"

"We don't know that. Which is why-"

"I can't believe you're taking her side in this," Weiss said. She could do nothing to hide the pain in her voice. "You're supposed to be on my side. I thought we were partners. I thought we were friends."

Ruby's eyes widened at the implications of Weiss' words. "What? We are partners. We are friends. It's just... it's complicated."

Complicated? There was nothing complicated about this. Blake was a member of the White Fang. She was a terrorist. Part of the very organization that wanted to see herself and the entire Schnee family dead. The fact that she was still alive to this day was not for a lack of trying on the part of the White Fang.

Weiss felt a familiar sense of anger burning under her skin. She felt a twinge of pain and regret in her stomach for the first time in years. Betrayal. Betrayal by people she thought she could trust, only to have them turn their backs on her. Just like the ones who had used her as a child. Just like the scheming politics of Atlas. Weiss Schnee was a mere tool to be used and thrown away. She was a pawn of her father. She was a stepping stone for the ambitious. Now it would seem that her teammates had joined the ranks of all the rest who had betrayed her. They had taken the side of a terrorist.

She was breathing heavily and there was a tightness in her chest just thinking about it. She had opened up to Ruby and Yang. She had trusted them. Now they had turned their backs on her in her time of need.

"I thought we were friends," she said once more. "I guess I was wrong."

She felt a hand grab her wrist in a strong grip. Looking to the source she saw Yang stare at her with such intensity that she thought the girl's Semblance would activate any second now.

"Stop being such a brat!" the blonde yelled. "Things aren't black and white here, and for once there's no pun intended."

Whatever sense the taller girl was trying to talk into her didn't matter at the moment. She didn't want to hear any excuses.

Weiss ripped her arm from Yang's grasp. "You go after her then. I'm going back to Beacon."

"Weiss, please," Ruby pleaded.

"No," she said with finality. "You go and do what you want. Go and try to negotiate with a terrorist. I'm leaving."

Without waiting for their response Weiss turned and stalked away. The angry clicking of her heels upon the sidewalk complimented how she was feeling inside.

She could not believe them. How could they not be on her side? She was the victim. She was in the right. Blake by the very nature of her admission was wrong. Terrorist! She was a terrorist! The very ones responsible for her miserable childhood. The ones responsible for so much death.

Weiss' face was burning. She had to forcibly convince herself it was out of anger and not the tears that were streaming out of the broken dam that was her shattered emotional mask.

* * *

Jaune was happy. His bed was soft. The room was empty. He had nothing but time.

His training for the day was done and his teammates were out enjoying the weekend however they decided to. Nora had probably dragged Ren to the city to seek out some form of entertainment. Maybe a movie or arcade. She so did enjoy whack-a-Grimm. It wasn't hard to see why. Nora's prowess with a hammer meant that she was all but assured to get a high score with every swing of the light, padded faux weapon. He almost felt bad for the arcade owners who would undoubtedly take a loss by the sheer number of tickets the girl would receive in an afternoon of fun.

As for his last remaining teammate, Pyrrha was a bit more predictable. She was likely training right now. A girl didn't become the reigning Mistral Regional Champion four years straight by slacking off, after all. She would be even more motivated to remain in peak condition now more than ever since she was on the road to becoming a huntress.

Jaune stretched his limbs out as far as they would go and received a satisfying pop in his elbows and ankles. Despite the soreness in his muscles from working out, simply lying here and relaxing made everything feel better.

Perhaps he would take a nap. With no one there to distract him and nothing better to do with his time it seemed like a reasonable decision. Then again naps seemed like a waste of time. Especially when time was precious. With the weekend being his only downtime from classes, did he really want to spend a couple precious hours sleeping?

Before he could contemplate any further he heard a loud banging on his door. _I guess that settles that dilemma._

With a heavy sigh he forced himself off of his bed and made his way over to the door. Another round of knocking sounded when he was a few feet away. "Alright! I'm coming!" he said loud enough so that the person on the other end would be able to hear him.

Pulling the door open he was surprised to find that it was Weiss who stood on the other side. By the look in her eyes which bored into him, saying that she was in a foul mood would be an understatement.

"Weiss?" he questioned. Before he could go any further she shoved her way past him and into his room. He was thankful that it was relatively clean.

She spun on her heels and looked up into his eyes. If he wasn't mistaken her own were tinted slightly red. "Training room," she said in a tone that told him it an order rather than a statement. "Grab your weapon."

He opened his mouth to voice his confusion but found himself lost for words. Glancing over to the foot of his bed he saw Crocea Mors in its sheath resting against it.

Weiss followed his gaze and walked over to retrieve his weapon when he did not immediately do so. She shoved it into his empty arms and he cradled the weapon against his chest. "Training room. Now."

"Weiss, what's going on?"

The heiress shook her head and grabbed him by one of his hands to lead him out of the room. After his arm was fully extended she was stopped in her tracks and rebounded slightly back towards him. Like it or not he was both stronger and heavier than her, and unless she decided to use her glyphs he was not going anywhere by force.

She looked back at him, her face visibly upset by his lack of following orders. "What are you waiting for? Let's go."

"Not until you tell me what's going on."

"We're going to train. Why else would we be going to the _training_ room?"

His brow furrowed as he shook his head in confusion. "We've already trained for the day. I know it's been almost twelve hours, but twice in one day feels like we're going overboard. Are you trying to kill me?"

The girl's eyes widened for a fraction of a second before returning to normal. Any other person may have missed it, but Jaune had been around the white-haired girl too much in the past few months. Something he had just said resonated with her.

She released her hold on his hand looked over to the open door before looking back at him. The fact that she had not yet answered him was most telling.

He made the decision to press the issue. "Weiss," he said gently. He moved to close the door, knowing that the girl valued her privacy. "What's wrong?"

This time she shook her head. Her eyes darted to the floor before they settled on him again. "Everything is wrong," she said cryptically.

"What does that mean? I don't understand."

"Neither do I. How was she let in this school in the first place?"

Jaune was still in the dark. Weiss' explanation only left him with more questions than answers. She? Who was Weiss referring to?

The girl in front of him looked tense. Angry. Maybe even a little scared. Then there were those eyes. Icy orbs which had very recently been filled with tears. He knew the signs. Growing up with seven sisters both older and younger than himself had prepared him for any scenario imaginable when it came to girls. He had witnessed his siblings experience heartbreak with the boys they liked. Fights with one another. Friendships which had been torn apart. Bad grades at school. Getting into trouble with their parents. He had seen the tears. He had heard the yelling. He had felt their sorrow as he hugged them in an attempt to comfort them. The question now was, which situation was Weiss going through?

If he had been at home this would be far easier. He was a fairly adequate cook. Perhaps he would have been able to prepare some sort of comfort meal for Weiss to enjoy while he picked her brain for what was bothering her. He would be able to brew a pot of tea, or more likely in Weiss' case, coffee. However here at Beacon their options were fairly limited. He had no food to offer the girl other than his secret stash of beef jerky he kept in one of his drawers. If he offered her some right now she was just as likely to snap at him for eating the unhealthy snack as she was to thank him for it. Unless she was the one to gift it to him in the first place, that was.

Unsure of just how comfortable she would be with any sort of physical contact right now, Jaune gingerly placed a hand upon a shoulder and led her over to Pyrrha's bed where he offered her a seat upon the mattress. She took it without protest. Jaune meanwhile grabbed the chair from the desk and moved it across from where she sat. He didn't want her to get the wrong idea by taking a seat next to her on the bed.

Weiss had not uttered another word since her cryptic explanation. She sat on Pyrrha's bed gazing at her feet. Her lips were twisted into a frown that was so unlike the usual calm expression that the girl wore.

When it became apparent she would not continue without being prompted to do so Jaune spoke. "So what's on your mind?" he asked.

She shook her head again and licked her lips. For long and tense seconds she sat in silence. Perhaps she was trying to collect her thoughts. He very much doubted that she was avoiding the question. If she did not want to share anything with him she would not have come in the first place.

In fact, why had she come to him at all? Why wasn't she with Ruby if something was bothering her? Unless Ruby was the mysterious "she" that had been referenced.

With a sigh Weiss looked back up at him and spoke once more. "Blake," she started. Another pause. For a moment it looked like all he would get out of her was yet another cryptic statement. "Is a member of the White Fang."

The accusation may have sent him reeling back had he not been sitting down. Jaune may have not been the most well-read young man when it came to current events, but no one was not aware of who the White Fang was and what they did. Most of the terrorism in Vale could be traced back to the faunus terrorist group. To say that Blake was a part of the organization was as serious an accusation as he had ever heard.

"What?" he asked in disbelief. Perhaps he simply did not want to believe it. "What makes you think that?"

"She admitted it!" Weiss shouted suddenly. She exhaled heavily and blinked hard, most likely upset with herself for losing control of her voice like she just had. "Or at least she said as much. _We,"_ she added.

Weiss had no reason to lie about something like that. Especially about one of her own teammates. The Schnee girl was also far from stupid, so it was unlikely that she had misinterpreted anything that Blake had said. Did that make it true then? Jaune had no idea what to believe. At least not without talking to Blake and the rest of Team RWBY.

"So... Blake's really a faunus?" he asked.

"Yes."

"Where are Ruby and Yang? Do they know?"

"They're out looking for her after she ran away. Even though I'm the victim."

Victim? Had something happened? Did Weiss and Blake engage in some sort of physical confrontation? He had to know. "What happened? Did you two get into a fight? Did the White Fang do something out in Vale today?"

"No," she whispered harshly. "But she could have. At any time." Her hands squeezed down onto the sheets she sat atop. Her hard gaze met his own. There was very real fear in those eyes. "We share the same room, Jaune. She could have murdered me in my sleep any time she wanted. I couldn't have..." she stopped as the words seemed to dry up in her mouth. She swallowed before continuing. "I couldn't have stopped her if she wanted to kill me. I would have been powerless. I'd be dead. And she'd be gone."

What Weiss had just suggested sounded like it was pure lunacy. Paranoia in its finest. However this was Weiss who was talking to him. The girl who he knew was nothing but rational and pragmatic. That meant that she must have truly believed the scenario she was describing could take place.

However it was clear that no matter how rational it seemed in her mind that she was clearly in need of a different point of view. Perhaps he would have to be the rational one in this instance. "But she didn't," he pointed out simply.

Pale blue eyes looked at him accusingly. "What?"

"She didn't kill you," he clarified. "She didn't try. And she seems like a really nice and levelheaded girl. There has to be an explanation for this."

"She hasn't received orders from her _White Fang_ superiors yet." The way she said the name of the terrorist group made it sound like it was a dirty word. He had no doubt that in her mind it was. "There's your explanation, Jaune."

"You don't know-"

"Or maybe she's here to gather information on me," Weiss continued. "I am a Schnee after all. The only thing better than a dead Schnee would be getting enough dirt in order to blackmail my entire family. It wouldn't be the first time people have gotten close to me in order to use me for my family name."

Was she even listening to herself? Or were these kinds of scenarios so common back in Atlas that this mindset was considered normal?

Jaune was lost. This was far above and beyond anything his sisters had went through. None of his sisters had ever dealt with political intrigue and the fear of being assassinated. He would take a broken-hearted Weiss over this any day.

Without even thinking he reached out and took one of her hands in his own, giving it a comforting squeeze. Physical comfort was one of the only things he had left to offer right now. Ideas of terrorism and murder were way out of his league.

"We'll figure this out," he said softly. "All of us. You, me. Ruby, Yang. Even Blake. But we have to find her first in order to get through this."

Weiss did not protest at the physical gesture. If anything her hand seemed relaxed in his own. "I just don't know what to do," she said softly. Her voice was gentle, almost weak. He had never heard it without some sort of confident edge to it. "I don't know who I can trust. I... I even accused Ruby and Yang of betraying me."

Jaune frowned. The two girls were nothing short of loyal and honest. They were the first two friends he had made here at Beacon. Ruby was his best friend. Closer than even anyone on his own team. There was simply no way she or her sister would betray Weiss. Not when the younger girl had worked so hard to earn the heiress' friendship.

"You were in a bad place," he told her, offering a reasonable explanation for her words. "Sometimes... sometimes we say things we don't mean when we're upset."

Weiss looked up at him, her glistening eyes silently willing him to continue.

"And, um..." he continued, struggling to find the words he was looking for. This was on an entirely different level than trying to comfort one of his distraught sisters. "This is obviously a very personal issue for you. So it makes sense that you reacted the way you did. Right?"

If Jaune knew anything about comforting another, it was that you wanted to take their side on the issue. Even if you disagreed with them, you had to find a way to see it from their perspective and offer support. Only then could you explore the alternative side and get them to see the opposite point of view.

"I guess," she agreed.

The timidity in her response made it as clear as day that she regretted how she had talked to Ruby and Yang. Even if she would not come out and admit it herself. That was good. That was progress. However the main issue here was Blake. That was a matter which could not be so easily resolved. Especially not by just the two of them.

"So we should go find them," he suggested as he stood up. His hands were still around hers, and he gave her arm a soft tug beckoning her to follow him. For a moment she considered it, but she too rose up to stand next to him. "And you can tell them you're sorry."

She nodded wordlessly. Seeing Weiss so shaken and stripped of her confidence was eerie.

"We'll find Blake too. And then we'll all talk and settle this whole matter one way or another."

Only when Jaune reached for the door's handle did Weiss retract her hand from his. After opening it he gestured for her to leave ahead of him before he stepped out after her and shut the door behind him.

They walked down the hall together in silence for a minute or two before Weiss spoke once more. "She lied to me," she said. "Blake lied. To all of us."

Jaune felt a twinge of guilt in his stomach. Blake was not the only one who had lied.

"And because of that lie I've been in danger since the start of the semester. Even if Blake hadn't been sent to kill me, what if another White Fang agent was? What if Blake was just some sort of sleeper agent? Being used by another to gather information?"

Truth be told, Jaune felt sorry for the girl next to him. What must have her upbringing been like if she entertained ideas such as this? What had she gone through as a child? What had the White Fang done to affect her in such a manner?

This was not the only thought to enter his mind. Weiss' words reminded him of what Winter had told him a few days before. How if Weiss was hurt as a result of his actions, of his lies, then there would be nowhere in Remnant that he would be able to hide from her.

 _For your own sake you should hope that she learns it from you, on your own terms, rather than her own. My sister hates surprises._

Yes, it was very apparent that Weiss hated surprises. If she found out about his lies and what he had been keeping from her like she had with Blake, how would she react?

As they approached the landing pad where one of the waiting Bullhead air ships would be able to transport them down to Vale, Jaune pulled out his scroll and brought up Ruby's name on his contact list. Finding her would only be the first step to resolving all of the problems on what had once been a lazy day off.

Looking over at Weiss he could see a myriad of different emotions both on her face and in her body language. The normally calm and composed girl was an absolute mess. No wonder she had been so eager to spar with him again today. He would have been the perfect target to take out all of her anger and frustration on. However in the end it would not solve anything. All of the underlying issues would remain, and she would be just as isolated and alienated from her teammates as she was right now.

A quick conversation with Ruby revealed where in the city they were. However the Bullhead would only be able to take them to its usual station. The rest of the way they would have to go either on foot or some sort of public transit. Sometimes Jaune wished he had a motorcycle like Yang. Not only would it be convenient for city travel, but it would look cool as well. Perhaps once he graduated. If he survived, that was.

Part of him was unsure he would even survive until the end of today. He was feeling more guilty than ever about his secret. He had lied to Weiss about his past. About his training. He had done so unflinchingly to her face.

Maybe it wasn't the best time. Maybe it was even the worst time. However if she found out about him keeping a truth from her that affected her after this, that could potentially be worse. Perhaps even the worst possible scenario. To continue to lie despite seeing what another lie had put her through.

Neither teen was in the mood for small talk as they rode the Bullhead down to Vale. Weiss had taken a seat by the window, which she stared out of for what seemed like the entire duration of the flight. Jaune remained on his scroll exchanging the occasional message with Ruby. His fellow leader seemed happy that he had convinced Weiss to come out. She looked forward to making up with her friend and partner. It would also help to have another pair of people there to scour the area for Blake.

After they had landed Jaune took a look around the surrounding area, but it was obvious to anyone who may have been looking at him that he was not too familiar with the city. Weiss on the other hand took charge as she usually did and motioned for him to follow her. She had just been in the city only a little while ago, and memories of where she and the rest of her team had been were still fresh in her mind.

He wasn't sure if this was just Weiss' take-charge nature showing itself or if she truly was eager to see her teammates again. In the end he supposed it didn't matter. Regardless of her motivation they would end up in the same place.

Looking to the horizon it was apparent that they were running out of time. The daylight would soon be replaced with the insufficient lighting of the dust lamps which lined the streets. Even without the cover of darkness Blake would be hard enough to find with her skills. Once the sun had set it would be all but impossible.

Jaune brought his scroll back out to further consult with Ruby and get an update of her whereabouts. The action prompted Weiss to speak for the first time since leaving Beacon.

"How close are we?" she asked.

If she was indeed eager to reunite with her team, such a feeling was not present in her tone.

"A few blocks west," he said before putting the scroll away. "They said they'd stay near one intersection until we get there."

Weiss hummed as she nodded in acknowledgement.

Jaune was feeling nervous at what was about to come next. However in his mind it was for the best. Better she find out now then later. Better for her learn about his lie now then continue to lie to her even when he knew how much she despised lying.

He swallowed and cleared his throat to try and put some confidence into his voice as he spoke. "Weiss," he said softly.

She turned to look at him. There was a hardness to her gaze that had not been present back in his room. Perhaps it was a difference in the public and private faces of Weiss Schnee. When she was out here where others could see her she could not appear weak and fragile.

"Yes?" she asked.

"There's something I have to tell you."

He took a deep breath. This wasn't how he was supposed to tell her the truth. He had told Winter he would confess his lies when the time was right. This sure wasn't it. However after everything that had happened in the past hour he could not keep living this lie. Maybe she would even appreciate the honesty.

Her eyes narrowed suspiciously at his words. "What is it?"

"I..." he started before he had to clear his throat once more. "I lied to you too."

He heard Weiss inhale sharply through her nose. "About what?"

"Well... a lot of things." He paused as he considered what to say next. "It's nothing big. At least I don't think... well no, that would be a lie too. It might be big. I think it's big. And in light of everything that's happened today... you deserve to know the truth."

She stopped, causing him to do the same. She folded her arms across her chest as he turned to face her.

"About. What?" she asked, this time slower. There was no mistaking the harsh tone of the question.

Jaune brought a hand up to his face and scratched his neck for a brief moment. It was now or never. "My past. My training. I didn't attend any combat schools before Beacon. I made up Siren Academy because I didn't want you to know the truth about me."

The cold expression on her face told him that things were not going well. However there was no turning back. "What truth would that be?" she asked.

"I lied to get into Beacon. I forged my transcripts. I'm... I'm a fraud. I shouldn't even be here. I just wanted to be a hero like everyone else in my family." He paused and exhaled sharply. He could not meet her gaze anymore. "I lied to you and everyone else we know. I'm sorry, Weiss."

For long moments there was silence. He still could not bring himself to look at her. He had no idea what she was thinking. Why wouldn't she say anything? At least if she did he would know where they stood. He would know if she was angry and upset, or if she would brush off his confession like it was nothing.

Eventually the silence grew to the point where he had to know her reaction, even if it wasn't verbal. Looking back up to her she saw an emotionless mask on her face. The same one she used to wear before he had grown more comfortable around her, and he was able to play the fool and tease her. The one she had worn back before he could consider her a friend, and believed that she could do the same. Only now did it occur to him how long it had been since he had seen that face which was utterly devoid of any emotion whatsoever.

"Am I surrounded by nothing but liars?" she asked. By the sound of the question it was directed more to herself than him.

"Weiss-"

She cut him off before he could finish. "No," she said. She breathed a heavy sigh. "I'm tired, Jaune. I think coming out here was a mistake."

"But-"

"Go find Ruby. Go find Blake. Go do what you want."

He saw as she turned to walk back the way they had come. He didn't dare reach out to try and grab her hand to stop her. However it didn't stop him from speaking. "What about you? Where are you going?"

She didn't look back when she replied. "I don't know."

No other words were exchanged before she walked off. There was no anger in her footsteps the way there had been when she had stormed into his room. There was no anger in her voice like when she had voiced her complaints about her teammates. There was nothing. However despite the lack of emotion, he knew that they were there. Deep down inside her, she felt something as a result of his confession. The fact that she chose not to display that emotion was perhaps worse than unleashing her anger on him.

At least the anger showed that she cared.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Drama. One of the tags does say drama. You had to be expecting it at some point.

Weiss may have seemed bitchy and unreasonable in the scene from her point of view, but that's just it. It's her point of view based on her own personal experiences and upbringing. She thinks she's right. Hopefully I showed this in a way where you could at least see why she believes she was right to act the way she did.

I'll be the first to admit that my interpretation of Weiss is far more damaged than her canon counterpart. I'd like to think it's warranted. Going by what we know about her, she's grown up in an abusive household where her mother is a drunk and her father is a control-freak who, going by what Weiss told Blake in volume 1, would take out his frustrations on her and her family. And where did those frustrations stem from?

The White Fang. Weiss admits to having family members go missing and SDC board members executed by the White Fang. In her own words, they've been at war with her family for years. That'll fuck you up. It will also make you very biased and distrustful towards the faunus. Both qualities she displayed in volume 1. Just look at her first encounter with Sun. Without so much as speaking to him Weiss calls him a "monkey-tailed rapscallion" and a "filthy faunus from the boat". She goes so far as to say, "Give him time and he'll probably join up with the other faunus in the White Fang".

I'm not saying I'm right, and that my interpretation is the best one out there. I just think it's a reasonable point of view, and one that I haven't seen explored yet in fan fiction. I'm sure I'll be hearing about it one way or another like I did back in the first couple chapters of this story. And like back then, I'm totally willing to discuss my rationale behind the decision.

I hope you enjoyed the chapter. There's more to come.


	20. Chapter 20

**Author's Note:** Wow. I cannot express how awesome all of you are. The support I received last chapter exceeded all of my hopes and dreams, and I can't thank you enough for all of your comments and feedback. To know that I'm doing these characters justice, especially Weiss, makes me incredibly happy. So thank you again for continuing to read after all this time.

* * *

For long minutes Jaune stood in the middle of the sidewalk as a battle raged inside him for what he should do. It was far too late to truly do anything by now, but the fact that Weiss had reacted as she did still made him want to go after her. He wanted to make things right. He wanted to fix their relationship. He wanted to tell her how sorry he was. After what she had just experienced Jaune understood why she would react so poorly to a lie, but in his mind it made sense to get it out now. To wait for her to get over her situation with Blake only to thrust yet another dramatic situation upon her could have been even worse for the girl. At least in this way it would all happen quickly and at the same time, much like ripping a band-aid from your skin.

There were several times he took a step or two before stopping himself. Each time he told himself that he should let her go. Much like before, he had experience in situations like these. Growing up alongside seven sisters had given him a sixth sense for when he should attempt to pursue an angry female and when he should give them their space. In his opinion this was one of those times where she needed to be left alone.

He leaned up against the side of a building and began tapping his fist against the concrete exterior. Today was turning out to be an absolute mess. First with Blake revealing her past and now him doing the same. Both had had negative effects on Weiss, however if her reaction was anything to go by her reaction toward him seemed more tame. He could tell that she was angry, yet she had not expressed it the same way she had when the two were alone in his dorm. There she had been more vocal. There had been hints of anger and pain in her voice even if she had been reluctant to put those emotions on display. With him though, there almost seemed to be a lack of emotion. She had said that she was tired, but he knew that it wasn't the main reason she had left. She felt betrayed. As she should.

The vibrating of his scroll stirred him from his thoughts and he reached into his pants pocket to fish it out. A text from Ruby wondering where he was greeted him upon opening it. Jaune had no idea how long he had been standing there filled with his indecision, but apparently it was long enough to warrant a message from his friend.

After typing out a quick message back to her he set off to their rendezvous point. The two sisters of Team RWBY had moved further away from the docks, logically believing that Blake would have fled away from them rather than staying close by. With only that and the initial direction the girl had gone as their clues they had began trekking further east into the city of Vale.

It took only a few minutes to reach their destination. Even without knowing where he was supposed to meet them the two stuck out like Goliaths in a Beowolf pack. Ruby with her bright red cloak and Yang with her flowing blonde hair were sure to attract attention from those who passed them by. Jaune jogged across a street, and soon enough the two girls noticed him as well. Ruby gave him an excited wave regardless of already having his attention, while Yang stood passively by scanning the crowds of people all around her.

"Hey," Jaune greeted as he stopped in front of them. "No luck I take it?"

Yang let out a frustrated sigh. "Nope. Honestly I'm running out of ideas and we're running out of daylight." There was a hint of bitterness in her voice with those words. It wouldn't have surprised Jaune if she were blaming the sun for not staying out longer until she had found her partner.

Ruby nodded grimly in agreement before her face twisted in puzzlement. She looked around and behind Jaune before she finally spoke. "Wait, where's Weiss?" she asked.

"Yeah, you said you were bringing her with."

Jaune nodded a confirmation. He didn't know what he was going to say here. Lying had gotten him into this mess in the first place. He was not about to do it again. Even if he did, even if he got away with it with the sisters today, Weiss would undoubtedly tell them tomorrow. A sudden chilling thought entered his mind. She would probably tell Professors Ozpin and Goodwitch as well. This day could very well be his last at Beacon Academy. If it was to be then he would not spend it lying to his best friends. He would not go out like that.

He ran a hand through his hair as a sigh escaped his lips. "We had a fight," he told them. "Well, sort of. It wasn't the same as the one she and Blake had, but I can tell she was angry."

Yang echoed his sigh as her hands drifted up to her hips. "Great, what now? Are you a faunus as well, Jaune?" She seemed upset, and the question was dripping with sarcasm. "Are you White Fang too?"

"Yang, come on," Ruby said gently, placing a hand on her taller sister's shoulder. "You heard what Weiss said about what they'd done to her family."

"I'm not pissed about that," Yang said sharply. Ruby quickly retracted her hand, and Yang's expression softened in response to that. "I get that she was afraid and I can sympathize with that. What I'm pissed about was how she tried to make you, to make us, choose sides. She may as well have given us a damn ultimatum to either be with her or against her." She shook her head angrily at the idea. "That's not fair to you or me, and that's not fair to Blake. Not without hearing her side of the story first."

Jaune understood what Yang meant. Blake was the girl's partner. It made sense that no matter what she was accused of she deserved to have her side of the story heard. He himself had only heard Weiss'. He had no idea what Blake's explanation might be. There was no telling just how much she had been involved in the White Fang or what she may or may not have done. Blake deserved to have her side heard, but it was impossible now that she had run away. If anything fleeing only made her look even more guilty.

"I know," Ruby said weakly. She was not one for confrontations or arguing. Jaune knew this. So being around her and Yang when Yang was angry was producing the expected results. Ruby was acting timid, trying not to stir Yang's emotions any further.

"Which we would have had a better chance of getting had Weiss come along," Yang continued. Her gaze returned to Jaune. "So what happened to set her off again?"

"Something dumb," he answered vaguely. "Or smart. I don't really know which it is. But after everything that happened with Blake I figured now was the best time to tell her that I'd been lying to her about something to." He frowned as he looked Yang in her eyes. "I've been lying to all of you."

Yang returned his frown with one of her own while a look of puzzlement formed on Ruby's face. There was no going back now. It was time to see if he would lose their friendships as well.

"About what?" the elder sister asked as she motioned them to follow her. "Come on. Talk while we walk. We've stood around doing nothing for long enough."

Jaune complied and followed after, walking side by side with Ruby behind Yang. The blonde girl's pace was fast, and while Jaune was easily able to keep up with the long strides of his own legs, he noticed that Ruby had to put an effort into walking faster than she normally would. It was slightly amusing to see for a girl whose Semblance allowed her to move at lightning-fast speeds.

 _Well, here goes nothing._ "Beacon," he started vaguely. "I shouldn't be here at Beacon."

Rather than Yang it was the girl beside him who responded first. "What do you mean?" she asked. The look on her face was one of pure innocence.

"Well, I lied to get into Beacon," he explained. "Forged transcripts. I've never attended a combat school like the two of you did. Growing up I was barely even trained period." He shook his head sadly as he directed his gaze anywhere but the two girls. "I didn't even know what Aura was before getting here."

For long seconds there was silence. Only the sound of their feet on the sidewalk and the countless random people that passed by them. Jaune had no idea what they were thinking. He didn't even know what their physical reactions to his confession had been. He had still not looked at them since Ruby had last spoken.

Finally it was the older of the two sisters who spoke up. "So?"

So? What did she mean, _so?_ Yang's tone did not seem angry. Nor did it seem betrayed. It wasn't mocking, it wasn't sarcastic, and it wasn't bitter. It was just a simple question. One he didn't quite know how to answer.

"So..." he started. "I'm a liar. A fraud. I shouldn't be here. That's why I'm so weak. You've been friends with a liar for months now."

"And?"

Again with the one word questions. What did she want from him? An essay? He had just explained to her why it was a bad thing and yet she still didn't seem angry. Surely she understood. Yang was not stupid. So why didn't she seem to care?

In any case he would try to explain it more. "So you should be mad," he stated. "Like Weiss. I... I expected you to react the same way."

Instead of addressing his explanation though, she responded to his question with one of her own. "Does your team know about this?"

He shook his head. "No. Only Weiss and now you two know." He shook his head in disbelief. "Why aren't you mad at me? You don't need to hate people keeping secrets from you like Weiss in order to feel like I've betrayed you."

"You're still here, aren't you?"

Again answering his question with another question. Was she avoiding him on purpose? "Yeah?"

Finally Yang turned to look at him as they walked. She had slowed her pace so that she was walking beside him now with Ruby on her other side. "Maybe you didn't belong here originally. Maybe I would have even been pissed off if I'd found out about this in the first week. But you've fought and worked hard to prove that you should be here."

Jaune was blown away by the response. It had not been what he had expected. Yang was known for her impulsive behavior and a fiery attitude. One look into her crimson eyes meant that someone was about to be in for a world of hurt. However those eyes remained their calm and peaceful lilac color. If she was angry she definitely wasn't showing it.

"Still," he argued. "My inexperience could have gotten you hurt. Any of you. I was a weak link." He frowned at the words. "I probably still am."

Yang waved off his concern with a flick of her wrist. "Please. Like we can't look after ourselves. No one needs you to babysit us."

Okay, that route hadn't worked. Jaune supposed he could add stubborn to the list of words which described the blonde girl. "Right, but I only even made it past initiation because we were all together. I couldn't have done it alone."

Yang threw her hands up in the air in frustration. "Duh!" she exclaimed. "None of us could have. We only made it past initiation because we worked as a team. All eight of us. You think that Ruby or I could have taken down that Nevermore alone? You think that even Pyrrha could have soloed that Death Stalker?"

His argument had again been shot down. It was no less logical than the last one. "Well, no," Jaune agreed. "I guess not."

"And guess who was out there making calls and giving out orders?" she asked. A moment later he felt a finger jab him in the chest. "You, Jaune."

Again, she was not wrong. He had not been idle in the Emerald Forest during initiation. He didn't know why, but coming up with strategies on the fly like that just seemed natural. Maybe he had a knack for it. Maybe it was why he had been named the leader of his team.

"I suppose," he agreed once more.

"You've come a long way since our first week when Cardin, well, I won't sugar coat this. When Cardin kicked your ass." He winced at the choice of words more than at the memory of such a humiliating defeat. "But I've seen you training. I've seen you working out. You put more time and effort into becoming a huntsman than ninety-nine percent of the rest of our class. You want this, Jaune. More than anyone. If anyone deserves to be here it's you. Maybe you didn't belong here originally," she repeated. "But you do now."

He was blown away. Humbled. Everything Yang had said destroyed his own arguments. Her words chased away all of his doubts. They even made him feel proud of himself despite what he had done to get here. The last thing he felt that a liar like himself should feel was pride, and yet he felt it nonetheless.

"You really think so?"

"I know so, vomit boy," she said with a smile. The smile disappeared before her head turned to look at the girl on her other side. "You've been unusually quiet throughout all this, Ruby. What do you think?"

Jaune looked around Yang's shoulder to see the other girl looking down to the ground as she walked. It didn't take long for her to look his way with a bright smile on her face. "I don't care either," she stated firmly. "Because no matter who you are or what you've done you're still my friend. We've been friends since the very first day of Beacon, and I'll stick by you no matter what happens."

He felt his chest tighten and a lump form in his throat. _Must be these stupid summer allergies._ "Thanks, Ruby," he said with a soft smile of his own before looking to the girl's sister. "And you too, Yang. It means so much that... that you're sticking by me. After what happened with Weiss I expected the worst."

"She'll get over it," Yang said confidently. "Just like she'll get over this whole Blake situation once we actually find her and get the two together."

"I hope you're right..."

Yang smirked as she let out a soft chuckle. "Our resident Ice Queen might act like she hates everyone and everything, but I know it's not true. You should have seen her the other day after we got back from the field trip to Forever Fall."

Jaune raised an eyebrow in interest. "What happened?"

The girl's smirk deepened into a grin as she continued. "She was practically fan-girling about this Ursa that you took out single-handedly. It was all 'Jaune this' and 'Jaune that'. I mean, I get that she was proud of herself because she's the one who had been training you, but you'd have to be as mindless as a Grimm to not see that she was proud of you too."

This information was completely new and unexpected to Jaune. He supposed that the only ones who would have known about it would be the members of Team RWBY. It made him feel happy and sad all at once. He was happy because of how Weiss had reacted to his slaying of the Ursa. In the forest she had indeed told him that it had been a job well done, but it was done in her usual cold and aloof manner. To imagine her "fan-girling" as Yang had said made him want to smile. Then he remembered how she had sounded the last time they had spoken. He remembered how much it sounded like she did not care about him at all.

"Huh," he said with genuine wonder. Truthfully he didn't know how to respond to that.

"Considering how close you two have gotten since the start of the semester I don't think she'll stay mad at you forever. Right, Ruby?"

Ruby nodded in agreement. "Yeah. She used to hate me. Sometimes she still acts like she does. But I think that's really just more of our gimmick." She stifled a giggle with her hand at the thought.

"I hope you're right," Jaune sighed. "The last thing I need is her telling Ozpin that I lied to get into Beacon and getting kicked out."

All amusement immediately left the faces of both girls at those words. Yang was the first to comment on them. "If anyone tries to get you kicked out of Beacon they'll have to answer to me." She cracked her knuckles menacingly, and the golden-yellow bands around her wrists stood out more than usual with the implied threat of violence.

"Yeah!" Ruby added. "And me!" Jaune smiled, because while the younger girl shared her sister's sentiment the words sounded much less intimidating coming from her.

From behind them in the distance a sudden popping noise filled the air. All three of the teens turned around, and in the air above the buildings was a cloud of black smoke rising into the sky.

* * *

Weiss didn't know where she was going. Anywhere was fine as long as it was away from him. It was important that she not make a scene. She had already failed in doing so once today.

She had been disappointed with herself earlier for her outburst at the docks. It had been a crowded public setting, and there was no telling just how many people had been watching her when she exploded at her teammates. Even if it had been in the privacy of her own dorm with just her teammates it still would not have been okay. She was a Schnee, and a Schnee was expected to act with the dignity and grace that came with that name. At least that was what her father had always taught her.

The nerve of that man, one who had married into the name rather than been born with it like she. Jacques Schnee was probably giddy beyond imagining when his naturally black hair had grown white with age. At least now he could play his role of family patriarch better, flaunting his ivory hair around the other socialites as a status symbol as if he were a true Schnee. The rich and pretentious would laugh and clap politely at any joke the man told, trying to get on his good side. All the while he would be completely oblivious to the fact that they were using him just as he was using them. Should he ever look past his own ego and realize this fact he would probably be enraged.

 _Are you really so different?_

Of course she was. She had not lied to Jaune and used him for her own benefit as her father would have. As she had explained to him, it was for the benefit of his own team. For everyone at Beacon period. For all of Vale even! She was not a hypocrite. She was nothing like her father.

That man was the hypocrite. She knew he was a hypocrite because while he told her that she should never make a scene, he did so all the time. Maybe not in public, but in front of the rest of the family. In front of the hired help. When the news of another dust robbery or attack against a Schnee Dust Company mine reached him he would fly into a fit of rage which would make even a Beowolf cower in fear. Sometimes Weiss wondered if this was why her mother had started drinking in the first place. As a way to escape her husband's anger issues, even if only for a night.

She thought that she would be able to escape too. Attending Beacon Academy rather than Atlas Academy would put an entire ocean between herself and her father. She would finally be able to get away from the lying. The manipulating. The feeling of utter loneliness of living in a mansion large enough to house a small village. For a few short months she thought she had.

Until today.

Lies. Betrayal. This seemed to be her lot in life. For all of the benefits of being born into unimaginable wealth and privilege, she never truly felt rich. All of the lien in the world could not fill the gaping hole in her heart. Winter being in her life had been the closest thing to doing so. She was gone now. Both in the short term and the long. Somewhere, out here in the middle of Vale, her sister was busy following some sort of lead which involved the White Fang. Once that situation was resolved she would return to Atlas. She did not know when she would be able to see Winter again.

Weiss frowned, uncaring of the Valean citizens that might see it. She would never see any of them ever again. Let them see her. It didn't matter. What would they do even if they did recognize her? Call Schnee Dust Company headquarters in Atlas and tell her father that his daughter was making a bad impression on the family name? How absurd. Part of her wished that someone would actually do such a thing. So long as her father got upset by such news she would gladly let them.

No, she was letting anger cloud her judgment now. Her emotions were getting the better of her once more. She thought she had calmed down after her talk with Jaune, but then he turned around and betrayed her as well. He was just another liar. A liar like Blake. Another backstabber like Ruby.

Weiss' hands squeezed shut as she shook her head. These thoughts weren't her and she knew it. It was the anger speaking. Ruby hadn't betrayed her, and deep down she knew it. It was simply far easier to be angry than it was to be rational. It was cathartic. It was the reason she had wanted to spar again with Jaune in the first place. A physical outlet for all of her emotions would be healthy. However right now she felt alienated from even him. For the first time in months she felt like she was without a friend in the world.

Well, except one.

Winter. She had to talk to Winter. Her sister would know what to do. She would be able to make sense of this. The girl was the only person she had ever been able to truly trust for her entire life. Winter was the only friend that she needed.

Weiss grabbed her scroll from her pocket and slid it open. Thumbs began working the keypad at a furious rate as she typed a message to her sister. She would surely come to her aid right now. Seeing her sister in such distress would prompt Winter to drop whatever it was that she was doing right now in order to assist her.

She was so consumed in her messaging that she did not bother looking up as she turned the corner. The sudden impact felt as if she had crashed into a wall of steel, and she was sent backwards and tumbled down to the sidewalk.

Weiss winced in pain, looking around her to find her scroll as she spoke. "Watch where you're going," she growled. Never mind the fact that it was she who had not been looking where she was going.

When she did not get an immediate response of any kind she looked up and found another girl sitting across from her. She must have fallen as well, and like herself was slow to get up. Light red hair like Nora's covered her head, and her piercing green eyes betrayed no emotions of any kind. If the girl was upset about being knocked over she was not showing it.

"Excellent advice," the stranger said. Weiss detected no sarcasm in her words, and it seemed as though the girl was actually taking the suggestion to heart. "I will be sure to do so more carefully in the future as to avoid any further incidents such as this."

In a sudden and bizarre motion the girl kipped up and was back on her feet in the blink of an eye. She offered a hand down that looked so pale that it made Weiss look like she had just spent a week tanning in Vacuo. She supposed it made sense, given that the girl was a redhead and sported a face with freckles.

The heiress hesitantly took the hand and was lifted up to her feet with what seemed like impossible strength for a girl of her stature. Her eyes widened in sudden shock, but in an instant narrowed back to a glare when she saw the girl smiling cheerfully at her.

Whatever she was so happy about didn't matter to her. It was best to be done with this and be on her way. "Thank you," she said in a neutral but polite tone.

Weiss made a move to slip past the girl who stood in the middle of the sidewalk, but was stopped when she sidestepped to once more block her path. "Are you alright?" she asked. "The puffiness in your eyes indicate that you have been crying recently, but I do not recall you doing so in the brief time you were on the ground. If you have been injured by your fall I can escort you to a medical facility."

The insanity of the question and its explanation would normally have earned an insulting response from the heiress, but the fact that this girl could see that she had been crying today pushed the idea from her mind. Weiss exhaled sharply, angry at herself rather than the strange girl. So ready had she been to spar with Jaune upon her return to Beacon that she had not applied any kind of makeup in order to conceal the fact that she had completely lost control of herself. Now she was being called out on it by some stranger.

She was not in the mood to deal with this. The slight edge in her voice said as much. "I'm fine," she lied. She was fine physically at least. The girl did not need to know about her emotional state. "Thank you," she repeated, this time saying the worlds a bit harder and slower. "I must be on my way now."

Weiss again went to move past the girl, and this time she succeeded. However she was stopped in her tracks when she heard the girl speak again from behind her. "Wait a minute, I know you."

The heiress spun around to look back at the redhead, who had taken a few steps forward. She began looking Weiss up and down as if she were inspecting her for defects. Truthfully it was a little bit unnerving to have the girl's eyes scanning her from head to toe.

"Yes, I have confirmed my suspicions," she continued. "You are Weiss Schnee. Daughter to Jacques Schnee and sister to Winter Schnee. Heiress to the Schnee Dust Company."

Weiss might have normally preened under the attention of being recognized as _the_ Weiss Schnee, along with all of the accolades that the girl had listed. However right now the last thing she wanted was to be recognized.

Still, it would not do to be discourteous to someone who may actually know her. They may have met once at one of her father's charity balls and it would not be becoming of someone such as herself to simply brush off an acquaintance. Giving the appearance that she actually cared about her acquaintances was a vital part of being a member of the Schnee family.

 _Hypocrite_.

She chased the thought from her mind with a small shake of her head before speaking. "I do apologize, but have we met previously? You can imagine how many people I have spoken to back in Atlas."

The girl smiled, but shook her head. "Oh, no. We have never actually met, but I know all about you. You are Weiss Schnee. Your vocal chords vibrate to produce melodies in harmony with music."

While what the redheaded girl said wasn't untrue, the way she had phrased it was more than a little bit odd. In fact the way the girl spoke was odd in general. However that didn't matter at the moment. The explanation suddenly made sense. She knew Weiss as a result of her singing career. She was probably just another fan-girl who was infatuated with the life of someone who she had seen on television or at a concert. It would explain why she knew the names of her father and sister as well.

Weiss had met these kinds of people before. Most of the time it was during or after a concert where her personal security had to all but fight off the rabid crowds of admirers who wished to get her autograph or have a picture taken with her. Thankfully she was a lot less popular here in Vale, and had little difficulty blending in with the general populace.

She was happy that this strange girl was by herself. It would be easy enough to get rid of her. "Would you like an autograph? I do apologize that this is all I can offer at the moment, as I do have to meet with someone soon."

However to her surprise the girl rejected the offer. "That is very kind of you, but no thanks."

Weiss furrowed her brow in confusion. If the girl didn't want her autograph then what did she want?

The girl stood there in silence after declining Weiss' offer. It would seem that she expected the heiress to continue the conversation. Her curiosity got the better of her and so she did just that. "So you know me from my singing career, but you don't want my autograph?"

It wasn't that Weiss was insulted by that. Nor was she relieved. She was simply confused. The girl didn't seem to want anything from her despite knowing who she was.

"I do not know you just from your singing career," she explained. "My father knows your father. They are both very important people in Atlas."

Weiss' face as well as her mood darkened. If there was one thing worse than one of the rabid fans of her music, it was her father's friends. His business associates. Their families too.

She could not recall how many times she had been thrust into a setting where she was expected to make nice with the children of the important men and women who were associates or partners of the Schnee Dust Company. They were usually spoiled and pampered trust fund babies who were as vapid as they were useless. Perhaps this was why the girl seemed so socially awkward. She had probably been sheltered from the outside world all of her life and had absolutely no experience in interacting with others.

"I see," she answered, this time working hard to keep the bitterness from entering her voice.

"Oh, how rude of me. My father has told me that it is customary to introduce yourself to a stranger upon first meeting them. My name is Penny Polendina." She stuck out her hand in order for Weiss to shake it. "It is a pleasure to meet you in person, Weiss Schnee."

As much as she did not want to continue this conversation, Weiss offered her own hand and it was grabbed eagerly by Penny. Her eyes widened in sudden pain as the redhead gripped it hard and shook it for a couple of seconds before releasing her. Just who was this girl and how was she so strong?

"Your father has been instrumental in my father's research," Penny continued. "He is a great man and deserves not only my thanks, but the thanks of many people in Atlas. Would you be able to thank him on my behalf since I am unable to do so myself?"

Weiss felt her muscles tighten and teeth clench at the sound of those words. Great man? Deserving thanks? Clearly this girl did not know the real Jacques Schnee. If she did then she would not have been so eager to sing the man's praises.

"I'll see what I can do," she said. There was no way she would ever thank her father for anything. However Penny did not need to know that. "However I'm afraid I really must be going right now."

"Oh. Okay." Penny still stood before her as still as a statue after the words. She did not look to have any intention of being on her way as well.

"So..." Weiss started uneasily, her normally formal tone slipping with the sheer awkwardness of Penny standing unblinkingly before her. "I'll see you later."

Penny nodded, a smile plastered on her face as she did so. "I accept your proposal to meet again at a later hour. Perhaps we should exchange personal data via our scrolls to make a later rendezvous easier?"

Weiss' eye twitched as he head slowly tilted to the side. Was this girl for real right now? Was she truly that socially brain dead that she took those parting words as something literal?

It figured. She was just another child of her father's associates from back in Atlas who wanted to use her for their own benefit. To befriend the heiress to the Schnee Dust Company was a route which many people had taken in the past in an attempt to get on her father's good side, and thus get special treatment or favors in the business sector. Weiss had seen it all before. She had experienced it too many times.

"Another person who knows me only by my family name," she muttered to herself before looking back to Penny. "I suppose you want to become my friend as well, don't you?"

The unnaturally bright green eyes of the girl seemed to light up at the question posed to her. "Why, yes. I would be deeply honored to become your friend, Weiss."

Weiss' jaw hung down for a fraction of a second before she was able to compose herself. This girl... she truly was exceptional, and not in a good way either. She had to be set straight before any further damage was done.

"Wait, no," Weiss said hurriedly. "I was being sarcastic! Don't you know what sarcasm is?"

Penny pondered the words for a second before she nodded in affirmation. "Yes. However I do not believe what you claim is true. I have read that sarcasm is considered the lowest form of wit, while you seem to be a very intelligent young woman. Therefore I graciously accept your offer of friendship."

This girl... this girl was beyond anything she had yet experienced at Beacon. While Ruby's early clinginess had been an annoyance, at least she knew when to back off. At least she understood sarcasm... for the most part.

The other source of annoyance in her life at least had the mental capacity to deliberately try and be a thorn in her side. Jaune's misunderstandings and foolish behavior were for the most part intentional and planned out, as she had quickly grown to learn after multiple instances of it.

Penny on the other hand seemed to have the comprehension and social awareness of a brick wall. Judging by how hard her body was when she had accidentally slammed into it, perhaps the assessment wasn't too far off.

She had to get rid of this girl right now. _Just lie, say you're friends, and give her a fake number. Then you'll never have to see her again._

Mentally agreeing with herself she began opening her mouth to speak, but bit down on her lower lip before any words could be uttered.

 _Hypocrite._

She closed her eyes for a couple of seconds as the word crossed her mind. No. She was not a hypocrite. She was not lying to hurt the girl. The thought was forced from her mind as she went forward with her plan.

"You're right," Weiss lied. "Let me just get my scroll out and we can exchange numbers."

"Sensational!" the redhead all but shouted with joy. "It is nice to see that you are every bit as wonderful as Winter said that you are."

All of her previous thoughts vanished from her mind at the mention of her sister's name. This girl Penny knew Winter? How? From where? That didn't make any sense. Winter was a seasoned huntress and a specialist in the Atlesian military.

Weiss' heart skipped a beat as she made a sudden connection. Penny knew Winter. She was extremely strong. On top of that she was clearly from Atlas, but in Vale now when students from abroad were entering the kingdom in preparation for the Vytal Festival. Could she be a student from Atlas Academy?

"You actually know Winter?" she asked incredulously.

An emphatic nod answered the question before she spoke. "Yes!"

"Do you know my sister from Atlas Academy? Are you a student there? Are you here for the Vytal Festival?"

Normally Weiss would have gone about gleaning such information a little bit more tactfully, but luckily this girl did not seem too bright. Weiss doubted that Penny would even realize how eager she was to learn the answers.

"Yes!" she confirmed enthusiastically. "I am a student of Atlas Academy. I am here for the tournament as well." She paused as she considered her response to the unanswered question. "I do know Winter from Atlas Academy." She hiccupped and briefly brought a hand up to cover her mouth. A moment later when she seemed confident enough to speak again she continued. "That is the only place I know your sister from." A second hiccup came immediately afterward.

It all made sense now. Only someone who was under the tutelage of Winter could be this strong, and by the sound of it Penny was very familiar with her sister. After all, Atlas' hunter academy was combined with both the kingdom's government and military. Weiss did not know exactly what the job of a specialist entailed, but perhaps she sometimes worked with students at the academy. If Winter had been close enough with the girl to share stories with her then perhaps this girl was not the kind of person she had originally thought.

Penny may have been vapid and socially unaware, but if she was a student of Atlas Academy and at the very least an acquaintance of Winter then maybe she wasn't out simply to get close to the Schnee family. Winter did not tolerate fools and sycophants. Winter did not allow people to use her. Not after she had escaped from the Schnee household.

Weiss looked down to her combat skirt as she felt her scroll vibrate. Fishing it out of her pocket she opened it up to reveal a message from Winter.

 _I apologize, but I am afraid that I cannot talk at the moment. There is a pressing matter which requires my immediate attention._

She briefly wondered what such a pressing matter could be if it meant Winter ignoring her. Should she be concerned? However before she could contemplate the thought any further her focus was interrupted by the redhead before her.

"Did you receive a message from other friends of yours?" the girl asked with a slight tilt of her head. "Are they who you are on your way to meet right now? I feel that because we are now friends that it is appropriate for me to ask more personal questions of you, just as you may ask them of me."

Weiss frowned at the question. "I don't care about seeing any of them right now."

A small gasp slipped through Penny's lips as she brought her hands up to cover her mouth. Her eyes were side in disbelief. "Why would you say such a thing about your friends?"

The heiress sighed softly. "Because right now they're not acting very much like friends."

Looking back at Penny she saw how the girl wore a sad expression now, yet the girl still refused to break eye contact. "I apologize, Weiss. Judging by the change in your demeanor and appearance I seem to have agitated you. The slight flushing of your cheeks indicate anger. It was not my intention to make you angry."

Weiss let a hand drift up to touch her cheek. Was she really so pale that even a tiny amount of anger could cause such a noticeable change in her skin tone?

She shook her head before clearing away a few errant strands of hair from her face. "It's fine, Penny. Right now my so-called _friends_ have managed to put me in a particularly foul mood."

"Why?" Penny's eyes seemed to be filled with genuine concern with the question, as was the tone of her voice.

"Why do you even care?"

"Because we're friends," Penny said matter-of-factly. "And friends stand by each other no matter what."

Was this girl for real? It had only been around five minutes and she genuinely believed the two to be friends. Friendship wasn't simply some sort of switch which could be flipped at a moment's notice. Weiss wondered if maybe her enormous strength was some sort of compensation for her lack of mental faculties.

"If you must know, it's because they did something unforgivable."

Penny's head tilted slightly, her face a mask of confusion. "Weiss, nothing is unforgivable."

Weiss returned the girl's puzzled expression with one of her own. "What?"

"Yes. Nothing is unforgivable," she repeated. "It only means that you are not willing to forgive them. That you do not want to forgive them."

Was that the case? Was she simply unwilling to forgive Blake, Jaune and the others for what they had done? No. That simply wasn't true. There were things in this world that were unforgivable. Betrayal was near the top of that list. Only... did they betray her? Or were these merely her emotions clouding her judgment again?

Her fists squeezed closed again. It was so tempting to continue to be angry. To be in the right. To paint the rest of her team and Jaune as the bad guys. Life was so much easier when there were other people to blame. Regardless of whether or not they were deserving of it.

She was once more shaken from her thoughts by Penny. "May I ask what your friends did that was so unforgivable?"

Weiss frowned again. It wasn't as if Penny knew any of the people involved in this. Aside from the Vytal Festival she would likely never even see her again. She may well not even see her at the tournament period. And with her being some sort of associate of Winter she could probably be trusted not to gossip about anything he heard today. She wanted to laugh at the thought. In the end she simply didn't care. Even if Penny was someone from Atlas who wanted to use her, what could she possibly do that would be worse than that her friends had already done?

She really was tired, as she had told Jaune. She had already screamed at her teammate earlier. She had cried after that. Then when Jaune had confessed his secret she had been too emotionally drained to react appropriately. So had she truly been in control when she had not wanted to make a scene? She didn't know. She didn't care about that either. In either case apathy was the enemy of productivity, but again she just could not bring herself to care. Yet another symptom of how exhausted she was.

The last bit of her strength had been expended when she had gotten agitated by Penny. She had nothing left. She didn't care about what anyone thought of her right now. Why not unload a little bit? At the very least it could be cathartic.

"They lied to me," she answered vaguely.

"Lied?" Penny wondered. "Oh. Did they lie about their age, sex, and location via a CCT text conversation?"

The sheer absurdity of the question made Weiss' eyes narrow and jaw hang open slightly. It seemed that with every passing minute this strange girl was taking social awkwardness to the next level. She made Ruby seem like a well-adjusted people person in comparison.

"What?" Weiss questioned. "No! What would ever make you think of something like that?"

"I have heard that this is a common lie that people tell. Especially amongst those in our age group."

A chilling thought suddenly entered Weiss' mind. The way this girl spoke was not only unnatural in tone, but also in the choice of her words. She took everything that was said literally and at face value. It was as if she had never even had contact with people her entire life, and all that she knew about socializing and conversation was picked up from a book on the subjects. It was as if she had zero life experiences of her own.

She knew it was impossible with Penny being a student at Atlas Academy. However her earlier thought about the girl being sheltered her entire life was beginning to look more and more likely. She had a difficult time picking up on social cues and did not seem to know how to let a conversation flow naturally.

"It's nothing like that," Weiss told the girl to dispel her crazy idea. She wasn't about to get into any details about it, even with a stranger. The information was sensitive for multiple parties involved, and that last thing she wanted was a girl with zero social awareness to know about it. "I simply do not like liars, and they lied to me. Nothing more needs to be said."

There was a sudden silence which overcame the two girls despite standing in the middle of downtown Vale. All around them life went on and people passed by both in the street and on the sidewalk. None of them even gave either of them a second thought, and none were aware of the inner turmoil that was chewing at Weiss' stomach. Despite being surrounded by the people of Vale she hadn't felt this alone since living in Atlas with her father. It was strange and paradoxical.

Penny was the first to break the silence as her piercing eyes once more bored holes into the girl in front of her. "Lying is not always done to hurt someone." Weiss frowned at the comment. "Sometimes it is done to protect someone else. Or because that person is afraid."

Afraid? What did they have to be afraid of? She was the one who deserved to feel that way. Blake was a terrorist who could have killed her at a moment's notice. As for Jaune, she didn't know exactly what his angle was, but the fact that he had lied to her face was indeed unforgivable.

Nonetheless Weiss would take the bait. If nothing else so that she could utterly crush the rationale behind Penny's argument. "Afraid of _what_?" she asked sharply.

"Of people not accepting them for who they are. Or for their past mistakes. Tell me, Weiss. Did your friends lie in order to hurt you?"

She let out an annoyed breath at the question. Technically the answer was no. She could not say with absolute certainty that Blake had ill intentions toward her. However what other explanation could there be? She was a member of the Schnee family while Blake was a member of the White Fang. It didn't require much thought to figure out what the faunus girl's intentions were.

However Weiss was not about to lie herself in order to counter Penny's insinuation. "I don't know. One might have."

Penny nodded. "What about the other friends?"

Weiss' thoughts went to Ruby and Yang. They hadn't lied at all. They had merely not taken her side. The struggle of betrayal versus rational reasoning continued to rage in her mind. They should have taken her side. She was in the right. But they didn't. Why? Why couldn't they have just let Blake run? The whole team would have been better off for it. They wouldn't be in this mess right now if they had.

Then there was Jaune. He was a fool. An idiot. In a way he reminded her a little bit of Klein with his silly behavior, only he was not nearly as endearing as her favorite butler back in Atlas. Klein was one of the few people she could trust. Klein was not a liar. Deep down Jaune did not seem like a liar either.

She had no idea why Jaune had lied. No matter how much she thought about it she could not find a way to view his intentions as harmful. He had lied, that was it. However that was all that she needed. Right?

 _Hypocrite!_

She shook her head violently once more. She hated this feeling of indecisiveness. She hated the idea that she might be wrong.

"No," she finally answered. "I guess he didn't. However he still lied to me."

"Do you know why?"

"I don't."

"You should find out. With both friends." For what was perhaps the first time in their entire conversation Penny broke eye contact and looked off to the side. It was almost as if she seemed uneasy. "Prior to meeting you I did not have any friends." Her gaze lowered down to the ground before finally returning back to the heiress. "However if I did I would not want to lose them over a silly little lie."

That one little statement spoke volumes about Penny and only confirmed what Weiss had suspected all along. Her lack of social ability was suddenly explained in one sentence, as was Penny's eagerness to befriend her. The admission made Weiss feel a tiny bit guilty over how abrasive she had been throughout the course of the conversation. It honestly made her feel bad for the girl.

"I don't know," Weiss said simply. It was the truth too. She honestly did not know what to do with all of her emotions at this time or how to handle her feelings for all of the people involved.

"If you find somebody that you care about then you should never let them go," Penny added. "No matter what."

"I don't care about them," Weiss said weakly, trying to convince herself more than the other girl. "And it's obvious that they don't care about me."

Penny shook her head in disagreement. "I do not believe this is true. If you did not care about them then you would not be so sad."

Before Weiss could respond her head whipped around at the sound of an explosion off in the distance.

Looking over in the direction of the docks she saw a black plume of smoke rising into the sky. Around her people stopped to look as well, some grabbing the scrolls from their pockets and holding them up in order to take photographs or record footage.

Could it have been an accident? A shipment of some sort of volatile chemicals which had spilled in the process of being unloaded? No... there was something distinctly familiar about the sound of that explosion. Spilled chemicals wouldn't have produced the sudden billowing cloud of black smoke like that. She knew one thing that did, however. Something which she had an abundance of in her training. Something she had grown up with all of her life. Something which certain terrorists had been targeting a lot of recently.

"Weiss?" Penny asked. "Perhaps we should call the fire department and report an explosion at the docks."

"No," Weiss said with a twinge of fear in her voice. Her hands were shaking slightly, and she brought her left down to grasp the hilt of Myrtenaster. The feeling of the sword's handle in her fingers comforted her and she took a deep breath before continuing. "If what I think is correct then civilians won't be able to stop what's happening at the docks."

The word "civilians" seemed to strike a chord with the girl as Penny's eyes suddenly narrowed in suspicion. "There is danger at the docks, then?"

Weiss nodded wordlessly. She took a step forward but was stopped when she felt a hand placed on her shoulder. Turning back she saw Penny look her in the eyes.

"Then as your friend I cannot let you go alone. I am combat ready."

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Shout out to martinpat94 for absolutely nailing his prediction on Weiss running into Penny. It won't be the only deviation as a result of this butterfly effect from Jaune and Weiss becoming closer at the beginning of the story. That's about all I can say about this at the moment.

As always I thank you for reading and hope that you enjoyed this chapter.


	21. Chapter 21

She had wanted so badly to be wrong. However at this point being right or wrong was the least of her concerns.

Blake was in a bad place. All around her the air was filled with smoke from expended dust rounds and other explosives, most notably the fiery projectiles courtesy of Roman Torchwick. The notorious gangster had for some reason allied himself with the White Fang. For even stranger reasons the White Fang had agreed to such an alliance. Now here they all were at the docks attempting to steal yet more dust from the Schnee Dust Company. It was just this kind of activity that made Weiss feel the way that she did both about the organization and faunus species. It was this kind of crime that only fueled her suspicion and intolerance.

When she saw the acts with her own eyes, when she herself had been a part of them, could she truly blame the Schnee girl?

Such a question was unimportant at the moment, however, as she glanced over to her second blonde partner. Sun Wukong was in just about as bad shape as she was. The two had only moments ago executed a brilliantly timed and coordinated team attack against Roman himself which would have made some believe that they had been partners for months rather than just hours. However Roman had not only withstood the combined assault, but he had been able to counter it as well. In the end he had sent both Sun and herself into a retreat in order to regroup and come up with a new strategy. The irony that she was now hiding behind a crate with the Schnee family logo emblazoned on its side was not lost on the faunus girl.

"What's wrong?" the flamboyant criminal called out to them from a place on the other side of the crate. "Why'd you suddenly turn into such a scaredy cat?"

The comment rubbed Blake the wrong way not because of the insinuation that she was a coward, but because it was an obvious pun to her faunus nature. The fact that she was only in this situation right now because she was curious was also not lost on her. It was just one more reason she had to survive. She had to prove that stupid cat cliché wrong.

"Here, kitty kitty kitty..." the man continued. He was openly taunting Blake and hoping to get a rise out of her. She knew that she had to remain calm and not give into her emotions. Doing so had led her down this path to begin with.

A pair of White Fang soldiers appeared to the left of her and Sun, both brandishing automatic rifles with their barrels aimed directly at them. She could not give them an opportunity to fire. Not when their Auras were so low.

Blake rushed forward to deny them their shot, the double blades of Gambol Shroud gripped tightly in her hands and prepared to cleave her fellow faunus' weapons in two. So quick had she been that Sun's warning was too little too late.

"Blake, wait!" he called.

The faunus girl descended upon her former brethren with wild ferocity that not even the creatures of Grimm had ever experienced. She could imagine a multitude of reasons for the outburst. Perhaps it was pure adrenaline and her back was against the wall. Maybe it was the fact that she viewed these men and women who fought against her as traitors because they had chosen to align themselves with Roman Torchwick. Or maybe it was simply the deep regret that she felt for not only getting herself involved in this mess, but Sun as well. She could not let the boy die because she had been so reckless and foolish about this issue.

Just as she planned the first man's rifle was hewn clean in two with one stroke of Gambol Shroud. Before his masked eyes could even register what had happened to his weapon he was struck across the face with the handle of the blade and sent sprawling backwards.

The second turned his sights upon her and pulled the trigger only to see his bullets pass clean through his target. At least what he thought was his target. The afterimage that Blake had left for him to fire upon soon faded into nothingness, and by then it was too late for the man. Just as with the first she set upon him with cold fury, the man's Aura absorbing the damage so that it was not fatal, but much like the first he was quickly and efficiently knocked out of the fight.

Now that the threat was taken care of Blake had planned to return behind the crate where Sun was, but only then did she realize her mistake. She realized why Sun had called after her. She was in fact no longer behind her cover, and it was exactly what Roman had planned. It was why he sent what must have been in his mind two expendable grunts.

The man in the white coat and black bowler hat had been standing there waiting for her to be done with the White Fang men, his cane up and aimed directly at her. Before she could even think of moving of utilizing her Semblance he fired.

"Bang."

Her world exploded around her, and all sights and sounds became a blurred and disoriented mess. She could not even remember hitting the ground, but knew she was lying down on it as she stared up at the dark sky above her. The only illumination came from her periphery as the tiny fires courtesy of Roman's weapon burned all around her.

Someone came up next to her and grabbed her shoulder tightly. "Blake? Blake! Say something."

Blake knew that it could only be Sun, but for some reason did not recognize the voice. Maybe it was because there was a terrible ringing in her ears which made her long for the horrible sounds of Yang's puns and jokes.

She turned weakly to him, her hand drifting up to take his and squeeze it lightly. "I'm sorry," was all she could muster.

Sun shook his head, his eyes hard and determined. "Don't say that. It's not over yet. Just try and make it back to cover and I'll hold them off."

He couldn't. To face Roman alone would be a death sentence. The two of them could not even handle him together, so how did Sun think that he would be able to beat him on his own?

"No. You have to run."

Of course she would tell him that. Even in her injured state her first instinct was to run. It was all she ever did. First from her own home in Menagerie. Then from the White Fang. Then from her teammates. Now she was telling Sun to run away for his own sake. At least that offered her some solace. For once in her life the desire to run away was not for selfish reasons.

His hand still gripped hers, and he squeezed back with much more strength than she could hope to muster right now. "I'm not leaving you," he said sternly. "We're in this together whether you like it or not."

She was about to respond with some sort of angry comment about how stupid he was before that familiar arrogant voice began talking again. "Look I hate to cut this whole teenage romance drama short, but I really have a schedule to maintain." Blake saw how Sun's attention had gone from her to the man who was approaching them, flanked on both sides by White Fang soldiers. "So if you're all done saying your goodbyes I think it's about time we ended this party."

Sun stood above her protectively with his weapons ready to try and block or deflect what was coming next. However such an attack never came.

A blur of white and blue came out of nowhere, and the sound of steel clashing against steel filled the cool waterfront air. As Blake strained to sit up she saw the cause of the disruption and noise in the smoky haze.

A feminine figure dressed in white and blue stood with her blade locked with Roman's cane which had prevented him from firing. The white hair upon her head and sword in her hand painted an unmistakable image of who the woman was. Weiss had come to her aid. But why? After everything that had been revealed and said, why would she of all people be here at the docks to help her?

Blake stumbled to her feet, determined to not let Weiss of all people see her in such a pitiful state. Sun assisted her in the action, and even once she stood tall once more remained at her side to help keep her balance steady.

As she looked at the two figures locked in combat a sudden question passed through her mind.

Since when was Weiss right-handed?

* * *

The clicking of her heels on the pavement was the only sound that filled Weiss' ears. Everything else around her seemed muted in comparison. Such a myriad of thoughts raged inside of her head that she was hard-pressed to focus on a single one and bring it to the forefront of her mind. What was she doing? What was she thinking? And why was she walking at such a brisk pace toward the docks?

"Weiss?" the voice said from behind her. "What is the matter?"

What indeed? Penny apparently had little idea of what was taking place at the docks. Even Weiss herself was not certain, but she had a good guess. Dust explosions did not simply happen by chance. Especially in the industrial section of one of the world's great kingdoms. What had happened with Ruby on her first day of attending Beacon Academy had been a one in a million occurrence. That girl truly was one of a kind. As a result Weiss could only think of one thing that was happening at the docks right now.

She turned to look back over her shoulder to where the redheaded girl was easily keeping pace with her. "I have a feeling. I have to know for sure."

The heiress turned back to look in front of her, artfully dodging and weaving her way through the random people who passed by the opposite direction she was headed. With her fencer's body and heeled boots she very well may have looked like some sort of dance performer with the way she moved. The fluidity of each step showed how every movement made was one with calculated precision in order to avoid contact with those around her.

The stench of fish had returned to her nostrils, and with it came the unpleasant memories from earlier. Memories of Blake's true past. Memories of their argument. Memories of what the girl's intentions may have been. A lance of fear pierced her heart as she realized the insanity of what she was doing. However she quickly quelled the negative emotion, smothering it with Schnee pride which had been instilled on her from a young age.

Weiss was angry with how she had behaved when the blonde-haired faunus boy had charged in her direction. She had been afraid. That fear had manifested itself in her body language and facial expression as he had neared. As a result of team saw that fear. They saw her weakness. She hated that they knew. She hated that anyone saw a part of herself which she had worked so hard to conceal from the world.

Penny quickened her own pace to now stand beside Weiss. "I do not understand. If you believe there to be danger then should we not inform the appropriate authorities?"

The girl's logic was what Weiss would have expected from a student of Atlas. Unlike with Beacon Academy and those who attended it, those in Atlas were expected to respect the rules and the law. Vigilantism and reckless heroics were frowned upon. In a situation such as this protocol would have been to inform local law enforcement as well as any sanctioned huntsmen if they were in the area. A student such as herself would have been expected to wait for orders from a superior or someone with the proper authority.

However, they weren't in Atlas. Such rules and guidelines did not apply to them.

"This is something I have to do," Weiss said with a harsh whisper. The fact that Penny's head tilted slightly in confusion indicated that she had heard it.

"Do you mean you have to resolve the problem yourself?"

That was one way of putting it. If Weiss was correct than the problem would be far worse than a simple dust accident or the actions of a simple street criminal. The problem would be the White Fang.

She had to go. She had to redeem herself. It went far beyond any simple grudge that the organization held for her family, or that she held with them. She had to prove to herself that she was not afraid. Not afraid of a simple faunus teen, and not afraid of the murderous terrorist organization. She was a Schnee. If she were to fear for her life at the mere sight of a faunus or potential terrorist than she would never be able to live in this world. The animosity between her family and that organization would never be gone. The only way to move forward was to face her fear head-on and conquer it.

"Yes," she told Penny. "It's the only way."

As they neared the docks Weiss noticed how there were no longer people around her. She soon realized why. The sounds of battle filled her ears from the distance, and this had no doubt sent the other civilians running in fear. However Weiss was confused as to who the White Fang might be fighting. Surely simple longshoremen would not have been able to put up a fight against the armed and dangerous terrorists. They would have no reason to want to either, as some Schnee dust from the other side of the world was hardly worth their lives.

Weiss' fists clenched at that last thought. _Try telling that to father..._

Her pace quickened, a hand drifting down to lay fingers upon the hilt of Myrtenaster. Its cylinders were filled with its usual assortment of dust, and she was, as the strange girl next to her had put, combat ready.

Only slivers of the sun remained to illuminate the sky, and the tall lamp posts of the docks had taken over the majority of the duty to provide light to those at the docks. The conditions were far from ideal, but her keen eyes could make out what was up ahead. Numerous steel crates sat where they had been unloaded by crane earlier in the day, and even from a distance Weiss could make out the Schnee Dust Company logo which was emblazoned on the side of each. It confirmed her first suspicion. The explosion had indeed been induced by dust. Now was the matter of finding out the truth of her other suspicion. The one that equal parts of her wanted to be true and false.

Myrtenaster was swiftly pulled from its sheath as she neared. The clash of metal on metal rang clearly in her ears, and the occasional burst of gunfire accompanied it to produce the harsh music of battle. Whoever was fighting was not an amateur. They weren't even the local police. No, these people had to be...

Weiss' heart froze with what she saw next.

The black and white uniforms of the White Fang filled her vision. Cruel-looking red animal head logos looked back at her from the backs of their torsos. The snarling visages of the creatures seemed to regard her as well, as if issuing a challenge for her to try and stop them. However she stopped in her tracks before she could even consider charging into them, because while the sight of the White Fang had frozen her heart, the next sight broke it.

There, standing pressed up against one of the metal dust crates, was Blake. Both her heart and her mind were filled with rage and sorrow at the sight of her teammate. The girl who was supposed to be her friend. The girl who the others had told to give a chance to explain her side of the story. She was here at the docks. She was with the White Fang. She was clearly suffering from a number of wounds from whoever they were fighting against. It confirmed her worst fears. Blake Belladonna was a terrorist.

Weiss' sword arm was shivering, and she placed her right hand upon the offending arm in order to try and still it. She could not be afraid. Being correct did nothing to change her situation. She had a duty both as a huntress and as a Schnee to stop this crime in its tracks.

With a deep breath she knew what she had to do. Teammate or not, she had to bring Blake to justice. Weiss raised Myrtenaster and pointed it forward, its cylinder cycling to select ice dust for her next move. However before she could make it her entire world was turned upside down.

Blake moved forward with all of the speed Weiss would have expected of her. However her attack was directed at the White Fang members who had turned their guns upon her. Why? It made no sense! Where was the other party who was battling the White Fang? And why wasn't Blake attacking them?

A moment later Weiss saw the blonde monkey faunus from earlier join in with Blake. He carried what looked to be a staff as he leapt to join his fellow faunus at her side, his weapon striking the heads and torsos of the White Fang soldiers whenever they came into reach.

One after another they fell, and while some stayed down others got back up and rejoined the fray. The strikes that Blake and her companion were using were not lethal. But if she were a terrorist she would have no problem with killing. So why was she not doing so? Weiss shook her head, that wasn't even the most important question. The fact remained that Blake was actively fighting against the organization she was a part of, and Weiss did not know why.

She was shaken from her thoughts when Penny spoke up beside her. "Miss Schnee?"

Weiss' brow furrowed in confusion as she turned to look at the girl next to her. "Yes?"

Penny shook her head. "No." She pointed over to their left away from where Blake and the blonde boy were fighting. "Over there."

The heiress followed her "friend's" finger to see yet another sight which sent chills down her spine. There fighting in the middle of the docks was none other than her own sister.

Winter's long blade was drawn and clashing against the short steel cane of a man whom Weiss had heard about many times on the news since coming to Vale. Roman Torchwick was a notorious criminal who in recent months had been making a living off of robbing dust shops all over the city. Not only that, but numerous SDC properties had been hit as well from cargo trains to store houses. Seeing him here in reality did not surprise her. This was both Schnee property as well as dust. In hindsight she honestly should have expected him to be a part of it simply because of those two factors.

She could not help but stare in awe at her sister. Weiss thought of herself as graceful and fleet of foot, but Winter was on an entirely different level. On the battlefield she was, like the season that shared her name, a force of nature that no man could hope to stop. There was no wasted movement with each strike and parry. Every action she took had purpose. How she wished she could be like her sister. Flawless. Fearless. A mind without doubt or regret.

After a flurry of strikes which he was only barely able to stave off Roman broke from the combat and retreated backwards several steps to regroup with his remaining White Fang soldiers. Armed with a mixture of swords, clubs and machine guns, the faunus soldiers looked like they should be no match for their opposition. However another look at Blake and her companion showed that they were in even worse shape than the terrorists.

With a respite in the action Weiss took the opportunity to rush forward. "Winter!" she called.

The young woman in question turn her head to look back to see her approach. A brief look of surprise filled her face before the expression was squashed entirely. "Weiss? Miss Polendina? What are you doing here?"

She stood beside her sister now, Myrtenaster held out pointing toward Roman in challenge. Her face however remained locked onto Winter's. "I saw the explosion. I came to help."

Before Winter could respond to her answer, the man opposite of them decided to chime in. "Oh how cute! The two of you decided to wear matching outfits for 'take your daughter to work day'. You both even have little swords."

Winter's eyes narrowed at his words as her attention once more focused entirely on him. "I am not her mother, Roman Torchwick. However I can assure you that you will soon be crying out for yours."

The criminal removed his hat and ran his hand exaggeratedly through his hair. "So you've heard of me. I suppose it's not surprising for a dashing rogue like me to have a few fangirls."

Weiss' own expression quickly matched her sister's. While it would certainly do them no favors after Roman's first comment about the two of them, she also felt no reason to withhold her disdain for the man.

His next words only confirmed her thoughts. "Hold on let me get a picture of you two on my scroll," he said as he patted down his pockets as if to find the device. His tone darkened when he spoke next. "After all, soon it'll be the only memory of you I'll have."

Weiss did not have any sort of retort to the statement, and by the looks of it Winter did not either. Her sister moved to stand in front of her with her blade held out just as Weiss had done earlier. It wasn't coincidental either. Weiss had learned the stance from her, after all.

"I will handle Roman myself," Winter said without looking back. "Assist the others with the White Fang."

Right now Blake was the last thing on her mind. Winter was standing right here in front of her and the last thing she wanted was for her sister to go up against Roman Torchwick alone. No matter how skilled the specialist was, Roman was not a man to be underestimated.

"But Winter, I can help."

In a flash her elder sister turned to look at her, an intensity filling her eyes that she could not recall ever having seen in her life. "Do as I say, Weiss!"

Weiss jumped at the barking command, her shoulders instantly stiffening as if she were a soldier under her sister's command. She could only nod silently, both her mind and her tongue being unable to formulate words in the face of such intensity.

Winter's eyes closed for a brief second and exhaled a small breath. "If you wish to assist go and aid the two faunus who are not a part of the White Fang."

Weiss' eyes widened and she swallowed hard. Winter had no idea who Blake even was. She had no idea about what had happened earlier between them and the rest of the team. In any case though, Winter's idea had merit. For whatever reason Blake was actively fighting against Roman Torchwick and his men. For that reason alone she was worthy of her assistance.

She gave her sister a slight nod. "Yes, Winter," she said with soft subservience in her voice.

Her older sister nodded wordlessly. In a flash she was off again, moving forward at Roman at what seemed like impossible speed without the aid of their family glyphs. However Winter had shown that she was capable of doing the impossible. After all, she had won her freedom from the oppressive heel of their father. To see the young woman conquer the unconquerable should be expected at this point.

Weiss focused her attention on her teammate as she dashed over in her direction with Penny close behind. Unlike herself, the girl had offered no protests to Winter's plan on dealing with Roman alone. Another example of Penny being the perfect breed of soldier that Atlas was known to produce. A daughter that her own father would have been proud to call his own.

She saw how Blake held her side with a hand as she approached. However once her teammate noticed her hand moved immediately, coming to rest at her side. "Weiss?" she asked softly. Fearfully if Weiss had to make a guess. "What are you doing here?"

A thousand different answers sped through her mind on what to say. Lies. Truths. Half-truths. However rather than any of them Weiss chose to ignore the question entirely. "We'll talk later. Right now we have to deal with them."

Blake nodded in affirmation to the plan, if it could even be called such. The blonde faunus boy merely nodded wordlessly. Both he and Blake wore grim expressions as they looked out to the squad of White Fang soldiers who had turned their attention back to them.

With Torchwick engaged with Winter none of them would have a clear shot, nor could they keep up with their speed in the swirling melee. To them the quartet of teens must have seemed like easy pickings, especially with two of them being injured. Weiss' hand clutched the handle of Myrtenaster tightly. These fools had no idea who they were dealing with. She and Winter alone would have been more than enough to handle terrorist scum like them. The hate which Weiss harbored for her foes would be more than enough fuel for her to dispatch them with ease.

Without waiting for the others she was off. A glyph underneath her feet sent her flying forward, feet leaving the ground as she held her rapier out before her. The impact into the torso of her target would have left a normal person's wrist shattered, but Weiss was not normal. The man was sent flying back, his Aura ensuring that he was not impaled be her blade. However the damage inflicted along with the bone-jarring crash against one of the metal dust crates would ensure that he would not be getting up again anytime soon.

Hatred burned in her eyes, and in her mind she could almost picture them turning into a bloody shade of red like Yang's when the blonde girl became angry. Weiss decided to match her weapon with her emotions, and the dust cylinder of Myrtenaster spun around to select fire dust. In a heartbeat her blade began to glow red as the dust took effect, and in the dim light of dusk she stood out like a beacon on the docks to guide ships to safety. However the truth of the matter was that her glowing light would cause only pain and harm to those who opposed her. To those who were responsible for her family's plight.

Another White Fang member ran up to her hefting a large and heavy looking cleaver in his hand. Weiss spun around as he brought it crashing down upon her, the clanging of metal ringing in her ears as she parried the attack before stepping off to the side. Another slash, this time horizontal, aimed to take her head clean off of her shoulders. For once Weiss did not lament her short stature as she ducked under the blow before delivering a slash of her own across his torso.

The strike was not as impactful as the one to her first opponent, however it did not need to be. The fire dust which saturated Myrtenaster's blade was there for more than mere show. As metal tore through the fabric of the man's shirt, the dust also set it ablaze. Aura would go a long way in preventing his death, however the sheer panic of his shirt igniting before his eyes was enough to make the man drop to the ground and begin rolling around frantically in an attempt to put out the fire. Weiss glared down scornfully at the man, but knew that she had no time to waste in petty gestures of vengeance.

Looking around she saw that the others had also engaged the remaining White Fang soldiers. In truth these men and women were mere rabble. Barely trained beyond pointing a gun or slashing at a stationary target. Even in their weakened state Blake and the faunus boy should have been more than enough to deal with them. No, the real problem was Roman Torchwick. Weiss had no idea who he truly was or what he may have used to be, but she knew that he was an opponent far above the level of these civilians-turned-terrorists.

Despite the fact that she had seen the two battling only minutes earlier, the sight of Winter in action left Weiss speechless. Blow after blow rang down upon Roman, and this time it truly did appear he was struggling just to stay upright. The situation had apparently grown so serious that her sister had chosen to wield her second, shorter sword in her left hand. She was a tough enough opponent with only one weapon to worry about. With two, and her ability to duel-wield, she was nigh unstoppable.

There was chaos and confusion all around her. However there were only a scarce few opponents remaining. Penny had dispatched two or three of the White Fang members herself with what appeared to be a strange series of blades connected to metal wires. Was she able to control them so precisely due to a Semblance of some sort? Weiss did not know. All she knew was that she approved of the efficiency, no doubt learned at Atlas Academy. The fact that Penny spoke so highly of Winter made her feel that her sister had something to do with it. Weiss would not be surprised if this turned out to be true.

Such questions could be answered later. For now all that mattered was finishing the task at hand. Once it was, however, Weiss had a number of pointed questions she needed to ask Blake. The faunus girl just needed to survive the rest of the battle.

Weiss hurled herself back into the fray a second later.

* * *

The unmistakable din of battle could be heard in the distance. Though Jaune had never himself taken part in one that did not involve the creature of Grimm, years of consuming popular media had taught him all of the signs to watch out for. The clang of steel on steel echoed in the darkness as he imagined trained warriors hacking and slashing at one another with blades and clubs. The occasional burst of gunfire filled his ears, though when it did sound it was short-lived.

Following the sight and sound of what could have only been an explosion, Ruby, Yang and himself had made for the docks as quickly as they could. None of them were stupid, though a fair number of people would question that statement when it came to himself. Huntsmen and huntresses were drawn to chaos and battle like moths to a flame. If Blake were to be anywhere, it would likely be at the docks. For better or for worse.

 _Would Weiss do the same?_ Jaune's mind raced as he ran with the two sisters of Team RWBY. When he had separated from the heiress they had gone in opposite directions, with hers taking her closer to the docks. He hoped that she was okay. If something had happened to her and it was his fault, even indirectly, he would never forgive himself. After all, she had only split up from him because of his secret. If not for that then the four of them would now be together as a group heading for the docks.

Overhead a pair of Bullhead airships flew by them. He was no aviation expert, but even Jaune could tell that they were flying far too close to the ground to be any sort of normal air traffic. The fact that they were headed towards the docks as well rubbed him the wrong way. Every instinct inside of him screamed that they had been drawn to the fight just as he, Ruby and Yang had. He did not know whether this was a good thing or not.

 _It's my fault,_ he mind raged. _She's going to be there and it's all my fault._ Adding a pair of potential gunships to the mix did not ease the anxiety that he felt for the fact that Weiss may have been in the middle of the battle. In his mind there was little doubt. Weiss was a fixer. She was a perfectionist. She wanted to fix things to try and make them perfect. After all, she had been attempting to fix him for the past several months. It was in her nature to want to step in and fix whatever was happening at the docks as well.

 _You must be perfect._

The mantra she so often said to him in their training sessions echoed in his mind. He hoped that he would one day be able to hear it once more.

"We're almost there!" Ruby shouted as the footing underneath them switched from concrete to wood. The dull thumping of boots on planking sounded in his ears, entirely different from what the past few minutes had both heard and felt like.

Jaune wasn't even tired. He attributed that to the conditioning over the past few months. Weiss had been correct about that as she was with pretty much everything else. Conditioning was indeed the foundation of any great warrior. It would have done him no good to finally wind up at the scene of a battle and be too exhausted to fight.

What had once been mere noise in the wind had become a cacophony of sounds. Grunts and cries of pain mingled with the sharp sounds of blades scraping against one another. The sharp stench of dust lingered in the air causing an almost burning sensation in his nostrils. Trouble was right around the corner. He could feel it.

"Ah!" one of the girls, he wasn't sure who, suddenly yelled.

The ragdoll-like body of a man dressed in black and white flopped on the ground in front of them. If not for the severity of the situation Jaune would have mentally patted himself on the back for the accuracy of his thoughts just prior to this.

"Is that...?" Yang questioned as she hunched down on bent knees to take a closer look at him.

"White Fang?" Ruby finished for her.

Jaune had never seen one of the terrorists in person, or at all really. There had been news articles about them and special reports on CCT broadcasts. However he had never really given too much thought to them at all. To him and everyone else in his family they might as well have existed on an entirely different planet. No one he had ever known had been impacted by their actions or beliefs.

Until now, that was.

"Blake..." Yang whispered as she dashed off around the corner from where the terrorist's unconscious body had come. Ruby and Jaune were quick to follow.

What they saw before them was for all intents and purposes a battlefield. Another wave of burnt and spent dust slammed him in the face, the stench of it threatening to overwhelm his senses. His eyes began to water and his throat became dry as the acrid smoke which hung in the air worked its way into seemingly every pore and hole in his body. Working hard to swallow a mouthful of saliva to alleviate the problem he took in the sights all around him.

Small fires burned in a dozen or more places on the docks, no doubt a result of both the dust and the use of advanced weaponry from the fight. Bodies, perhaps almost a dozen, were strewn all around with varying signs of wear and damage on them. Scorch marks littered the wood and huge dents and impacts cratered the large Schnee Dust Company containers which sat on the docks.

However his eyes were quickly drawn to the girl who stood out like a shining light in the midst of the wreckage and debris. Weiss stood over the bodies of a couple more White Fang soldiers, their prone bodies unmoving as they lay before her panting frame. Her signature white and blue attire was dirtied with dirt and what he could only assume was powdered dust which had spilled from the numerous containers around her. Myrtenaster was wrapped in her left hand, squeezed so tightly that her white knuckles stood out from her already pale skin.

Next to her stood Blake and an unknown third boy. In an instant Jaune's heart felt lighter than it had since the initial explosion. She was okay. They were all okay.

The girl next to him chose to express her relief in a more vocal manner. "Blake!"

Without another word Yang dashed off in their direction, sprinting at full speed. It was a surprise to Jaune that she hadn't used her shotgun gauntlets to propel herself over to them even quicker.

Ruby too began to run, but after a few steps slowed before looking back to him. "Jaune? Are you coming?"

A part of him wanted to. However as he continued to look on he saw how Yang had wrapped her partner in a bearhug so tight that he thought it may break a few of the faunus girl's ribs. Given the fact that she looked even worse for wear than Weiss made a part of him actually consider this thought a possibility.

A small smile slipped onto his face as Yang picked Blake up in mid-hug and began to swing her back and forth as if she were nothing more than a child. The dark-haired girl's hands attempted to protest the gross invasion of her personal space, but Yang was either too strong or Blake herself was too weak at the moment to mount any significant defense.

No, this was Team RWBY's moment. They had enough of their own drama going on without adding him to the mix. "I'll catch up with you later," he told his fellow team leader. "Make sure Weiss is okay."

"But-"

He waved off her concern. "Really," he insisted. "I'm fine. She's been through a lot today. You all have. Go get your team back together."

Silver eyes lingered on his form for long seconds as Ruby regarded him, her own thought process a mystery to him. Finally however she gave him a single grim nod. "Alright. But I'm going to help you with your problem with Weiss later."

Another smile grew on his lips. He expected no less from Ruby Rose. "Yeah. That'd be nice."

The younger girl nodded once more before she turned and dashed off once more, making a beeline for her partner.

Jaune lingered there for a moment before he turned and walked away. He had no idea what the rest of the day would hold for him. He did not know what his status with Weiss was or what it would be. Even with Ruby's aid the heiress still very well may tell someone with authority the truth about him. After all, as he had told Ruby and Yang, he was a liability. He would not blame Weiss if she did tell Professor Ozpin or Goodwitch.

For now, however, he would leave the four girls to make up and reforge their bonds which had already been sorely tested. The night was still young in Vale. If this were to be the last one he would spend in it, he might as well experience a little bit of it.

* * *

Weiss watched as Blake struggled to pry the tall blonde girl off of her exhausted form. She was happy that she did not have to deal with such an embarrassing display.

With all of the threats neutralized Weiss sheathed Myrtenaster and readied herself to go and find Winter. Before she could, however, a loud noise was coming from behind her that sounded eerily like her own name. Turning around she saw a blur of red and black hurdling directly at her.

"Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeiss!" the torpedo screamed as it impacted against her, and rather than exploding clung to her with a tangle of limbs that forced her down to the ground.

Maybe it was because she was physically, mentally and emotionally exhausted. Or maybe she had merely developed an immunity to what she had once considered a plague by the name of Ruby Rose. Whatever the reason, Weiss did not struggle in the abnormally tight grasp of her tiny team leader. Instead she simply resigned herself to her fate and waited for the younger girl to release her.

Mere moments turned to long seconds as the red-haired girl did little to improve the current situation. Weiss let out a long sigh before finally speaking. "Ruby?"

She felt the girl's head, which was currently buried in her shoulder, turn. "Yeah?"

"You can let go now."

The pressure lessened as Weiss felt said head lift from her body and saw as Ruby began to look around. A small hint of crimson brushed her face as she looked around awkwardly. "Oops." She released Weiss and picked herself off of the ground. "Sorry about that."

Weiss brought herself up to a knee before placing her hands upon it to push herself up. She brushed the dirt and debris off of her combat skirt, for all the good that would do. Her outfit would need far more than a simple trip to the washing machine after tonight. "It's fine," she waved off casually. Her own response sparked amazement in the back of her mind. Only a couple of months ago she would have been irate at Ruby before going off on a tangent about maturity and personal space.

"It's just... we were both so worried about you," Ruby said as she gestured over to Yang who was tending to Blake. Weiss felt a moment of odd satisfaction when she realized how the two sisters were looking out for their respective partners. "When we heard the explosion and saw the smoke we thought something bad had happened."

Weiss nodded. Something bad had indeed happened. In an instant her eyes widened. The thought of Winter had been suddenly forced from her mind after Hurricane Ruby had slammed into her, however now that she was on her feet again her concern for her sister returned. She looked around to where she had last seen the older girl fighting against Roman Torchwick.

Her heart warmed when she saw them in the distance. As expected Winter stood tall and proud, her long, thin sword pointed downward at the master criminal who lay on his back with his hands before his chest.

Without wasting another moment Weiss rushed over and covered the distance with speed that would make even Ruby proud. She could hear the heavy footfalls of her partner's boots closely behind her.

The heiress stopped around fifteen feet away from where the two older combatants were. She knew to give Winter her space. She also knew the potential hazards of being a distraction or obstacle to a fighter. She did not want to be a burden for her elder sister. Weiss was still close enough, however, to hear the ongoing conversation between the two.

Winter's calm and collected voice was the first that she heard. "The Schnee Dust Company sends its regards."

Weiss couldn't help but smirk at the line. This was a Schnee shipment after all. To both herself and Winter this was more than just business. It was more than just stopping a criminal. This was personal.

The snarky tone of the criminal from before was gone now, replaced instead with what she assumed was a collection of anger, frustration and disbelief. "How..." he began as his teeth looked to be grinding together. "What is Atlas even doing here? This isn't your jurisdiction!"

It wasn't. Weiss had no idea if this was a military operation or not. Winter had told her that she had come to investigate a potential lead into what could only be assumed was White Fang criminal activity. However, why now? Why this time and not any of the times before? Had this merely been a lucky break for the older Schnee sibling?

"Oh, but I wasn't here," Winter replied coolly. A sly, knowing smirk of her own crossed Winter's lips as she looked down at the fallen thief. "The infamous Roman Torchwick and his men were defeated by first-year students from Beacon Academy. How will your reputation ever recover from such a disgrace?"

Roman pushed himself into a sitting position as he glared at the woman above him. "When I get out I-"

He never finished his reply as Winter delivered a swift, graceful kick connecting with his jaw. The impact of the boot on flesh made Weiss wince slightly. Before her mind could even process what had happened Roman fell back to the concrete out cold.

"It was rhetorical," Winter replied flatly. "I don't care."

With the threat neutralized Weiss covered the remaining ground between her and her sister in seconds. Only then did she realize just how many people were around her. In the moment she hadn't realized that others beyond Ruby had followed by her side. Glancing around she saw the other two members of her team as well as Penny and the blonde faunus boy who had all stood by ready to fight at a moment's notice.

"Winter," she said warmly. "I'm so happy you're alright."

The older woman did not respond in kind. Some may have thought it to be cold indifference, however Weiss knew better. Winter had been raised a Schnee. She was a soldier. Professionalism and presentation mattered. Winter would not allow herself to become emotional on a battlefield.

It was a lesson which Weiss had yet to master.

"Roman Torchwick did not succumb easily," Winter admitted. "However in the end he was not a match for Schnee and Atlesian combat prowess. Nor was he a match for the gifted and talented students of Beacon Academy, who thwarted his attempted robbery of Schnee Dust Company property."

Weiss' face scrunched in confusion at the second part of her sister's statement. She and her teammates had barely even participated in this fight. If anything only Blake herself and her companion had fought against him. Weiss and Penny had helped to clean up the grunts, but it was Winter herself who had done all of the heavy lifting.

Winter seemed to recognize the confused expression on her sister's face. "In other words, Weiss. What I told Roman must be the official story. This is not Atlesian military jurisdiction. My involvement in this fight shall remain a secret. It was you and your teammates who were responsible for his defeat and capture."

The younger Schnee swallowed and nodded absentmindedly. "Yes, Winter. I understand."

Winter gave a polite nod in affirmation before turning her attention to two of the other teens present. Weiss' eyes followed her gaze to see that it had fallen upon Blake and the boy. "Schnees and faunus fighting side by side against the White Fang," she remarked, a hint of amusement in her tone. "If father saw this he may very well have a stroke."

The irony was not lost upon Weiss, especially given the truth of Blake's past. She was a member of the White Fang. She was a terrorist. So why had she fought against her own people? Why had she risked her life to stop their assault on a company whom all of faunus-kind could rally against?

Neither Blake nor the boy responded to the musing. If anything it looked as though Blake were preparing herself for another fight. Weiss saw how her muscles tensed and flexed beneath her tight and torn clothing. Or maybe perhaps she was getting ready to run away. Even if an experienced Atlesian Specialist had not been present, neither she nor the blonde boy were in any condition to fight again.

"It's curious," Winter continued. "When I arrived at the scene the two of you were already engaged in combat. How exactly did you come upon a White Fang operation in progress?"

Weiss saw how Blake's eyes widened for a fraction of a second and her feet pivoted ever so slightly. She was certain that the faunus girl had no good explanation. With her being White Fang she must have had some sort of insider knowledge about this operation. Once that came out it would give Winter all of the cause she needed to detain the girl, even if it was not legally proper to do so. Blake was not some mere White Fang fodder like the masked soldiers around them were. She was a skilled huntress-in-training who Winter would no doubt want to deal with personally.

It was in this moment that Weiss realized she could end all of this. She could rat out Blake and make all of her problems go away. She could rid herself of the threat to her life that resided on her own team. She could eliminate the girl who had lied to her and the rest of her teammates. She could see justice done to a member of an organization who wanted her family dead. In the end that's truly what it would be, right? Justice. Blake had broken the law. Blake was a terrorist. So she deserved the punishment that came with it.

So why was it that Weiss was so hesitant to speak up?

A glance to her partner revealed Ruby's pleading, almost desperate silver eyes. It was as if the younger girl was reading her mind and begging her not to throw Blake under the bus. The gaze that Yang sent her was hard and firm, promising anger and scorn should Weiss do what she was thinking of. Both girls had pleaded for Blake's case earlier. Both had wanted to hear her side of the story. In light of recent events Weiss could not help but be curious herself as to why she had fought against her own kind with such fervor. Perhaps... perhaps she deserved a chance to explain herself.

Weiss saw that Winter was about to speak once more, but beat her to it. "We had a tip," Weiss said suddenly. Impulsively. Emotionally.

Multiple pairs of eyeballs focused on her after the statement. Weiss was one who was used to standing in the spotlight. She was a performer who had sung on stage. She was an heiress who had the Atlesian elite's attention at all times. However she had never felt so small or intimidated as she felt at this moment.

Her throat became dry, and she swallowed hard just so she could speak once more. "At Beacon," she continued so that she could clarify the lie she had made up on the spot. "A tip from one of the teachers at Beacon. It was really more of hearsay, to be honest."

Winter tilted her head curiously at the explanation. Weiss felt as though she might faint on the spot. Her heart raced and she had to work consciously to control her breathing. The look from Winter was far from scrutinizing or judging, but at this moment she felt as if she was on trial and that her sister was judge, jury and executioner.

"Is that so?" she asked.

"Yup," another voice suddenly sounded. Weiss turned to see that it had been Ruby, who moved up a step to stand beside Weiss.

Winter's attention focused on the small girl briefly before her gaze shifted at the sound of another voice.

"Yeah," Yang agreed, moving up to stand on the other side of Weiss. "It wasn't anything concrete, but it's not like we had anything better to do this weekend. Thought we could go see if we could kick some ass tonight."

"However we were not all together at the time of receiving this information," Weiss continued. "We had planned to meet up at the docks, however by the time all of us had arrived the battle was already underway."

"Right," Yang agreed. "By the time Rubes and I got here it was already over." She slammed a fist into her other hand angrily. "Talk about disappointing."

Lies. Blatant lies. Each member of Team RWBY who spoke merely built upon the lie of the girl before her. Weiss felt horrible for it. This was her sister. This was Winter. She had never lied to the girl in her entire life. Her stomach twisted at the very idea of it. Her head throbbed and ached as her mind revolted against the very idea of it.

However what was the alternative? She knew that if she revealed the truth about Blake that their team would be destroyed forever. Not only because of Blake's impending incarceration. The utter betrayal that Ruby and Yang would feel would ensure that the team would fall apart all together. Even with a replacement member Team RWBY would be dead. The two sisters would never be able to look at her in the same light again. Any trust or bonds of friendship that they felt for her would be destroyed. Her dream of a life outside of Atlas would be as good as dead as well. The hatred that the two girls would feel for her would probably make her long for the company of Whitley and her father.

She caught the look Penny was giving her. The expression looked almost amused, as if the girl was privy to some private joke that the rest, not even Weiss herself, was aware of. In an instant Weiss' heart skipped a beat as a conversation from less than an hour ago came rushing to the forefront of her mind.

 _Lying is not always done to hurt someone. Sometimes it is done to protect someone else._

Was this what Penny had been talking about? Was this one of those lies that justified its own existence?

Weiss let out a long breath as a chill passed over her body. That was exactly what she was doing. She was lying to the one person who had always been there for her in order to protect her teammate. Her teammate who was herself a liar. A terrorist. A potential murderer. Was it wrong? Was she wrong? Or was it indeed alright for a person to lie for a good reason?

Seconds felt like hours as she waited for Winter's reaction. Three of the four members of Team RWBY stood as a united front against her, with Blake perhaps being too terrified of the potential consequences of her actions to even speak. The girl in question stood slightly behind the rest of them, with Team RWBY forming almost a human barrier between her and the Atlesian soldier.

Winter had to believe the story. She just had to. Weiss was not sure she would even be physically capable of an act of aggression against her sister. Even if she was there was little chance that even the united front of Team RWBY could defeat the Specialist.

The older woman blinked and nodded. "I see. It is good to know that the staff of Beacon are more diligent than some in Atlas say."

Weiss let out a breath that she hadn't even realized she was holding in. The lie... the lie had worked. Blake would be free. She still didn't know if that was a good or a bad thing.

"Indeed," Weiss agreed. She looked back at Blake whose face had visible relief etched onto its features. "However I believe that we need to get Blake and her companion to a medical facility. They took the brunt of the enemy's attack."

It was a convenient excuse to get away from Winter before she saw through the facade. Weiss had never before sought to be out of the presence of her older sister. Now, however, it was the only thing she wanted in the world.

"Very well," Winter agreed, perhaps a little too easily. Weiss noticed how her attention shifted to the freckled redhead girl. "I have my own business to attend to with Ms. Polendina, who I must speak to in private."

Penny's posture seemed to straighten as she gave her superior a crisp salute. "Yes, ma'am!" she said with the bright enthusiasm that Weiss had grown accustomed to in their short time together. It was hardly befitting of one who served in a military academy.

The girl stepped over to stand at Winter's side. With a wordless nod to her sister, Winter and Penny strode away to leave the teens standing over the unconscious body of the fallen criminal. Already the flashing red and blue lights of Vale's police force could be seen. Soon enough they would take Roman and his White Fang henchmen into custody.

Seconds later Weiss felt a body crash into her side for the second time in only minutes. This time however the weight was even more crushing, and she realized that it was not Ruby, but Yang who had brought her into a tight embrace.

"Thank you, Weiss," she said genuinely. "Thank you for not giving Blake up to her."

So it appeared that even Yang realized the dire situation that they had been in. She must have realized that Winter would have an extremely personal interest in the White Fang terrorist on her beloved younger sister's team. Yang had probably thought that her partner would have been executed on the spot for even the possibility of posing a threat to the younger Schnee girl.

Like before Weiss did not resist, but merely waited for Yang to be done with her affectionate display. And like before she did not return the gesture. Public displays of affection were not something she was comfortable with. She was not even particularly comfortable with private ones, save for those with Winter.

"I... I didn't do this for you," Weiss said once she was released. "Not entirely. I need answers that I don't think I would be able to get if Blake was locked inside an Atlesian prison."

"We all need answers," Yang agreed. She looked to the quiet dark-haired girl who had not spoken since the confrontation with Winter. "And that means no running away this time."

"Yeah!" Ruby agreed with hopeful enthusiasm.

To Weiss it appeared that all eyes had focused on Blake now, who almost squirmed under the attention. To her surprise it was not Blake who spoke next, nor was it any member of Team RWBY. It was the faunus boy, the stowaway who she had witnessed jumping from the ship.

"She won't be going anywhere today," he said as he linked an arm through Blake's casually. It earned a narrow-eyed glare from the girl in question. "I'll make sure of it."

He looked to be in just as bad of shape as Blake was, but somehow Weiss could not imagine her teammate being able to escape with him attached to her. The stupid, almost goofy grin that he wore reminded her of another idiot blonde boy.

 _Lying is not always done to hurt someone._

She shook her head at Penny's words. Not here. Not now. One problem at a time.

"Hah, I can tell," Yang laughed. "By the way, we never did get your name."

"Oh, right," he smiled sheepishly as he brought an arm up to rub the back of his head embarrassedly. A gesture that was far too familiar to Weiss, especially coming from a blonde-haired boy. "The name's Sun Wukong. Nice to meet you all."

"I'm Yang," the other blonde said. "And this is Weiss, and my sister Ruby," she said gesturing to each of the girls in turn. "You're a friend of Blake?"

The way that Blake finally ripped her own arm free from his suggested otherwise, but she made no further moves to get away from him. "Yeah, I guess you could say that," he said with a hint of amusement. The dark glare which Blake gave him would have told an entirely different story if not for the fact that she was practically leaning on him for support.

"Well any friend of Blake's is a friend of ours." A sly grin crossed the blonde girl's face. "I can't wait to hear just how the two of you met. Coffee shop? Faunus right's rally? Smutty literature convention?"

"Smutty literature?"

"Moving on," Blake interjected hurriedly before the conversation could continue. "Can we... can we just get out of here?"

The approaching police officers made the idea seem impossible. Someone would have to take credit for bringing down Roman and stopping a White Fang attack. It was going to be a long night. One that Weiss did not have the patience to wait for.

Still, this was hardly an appropriate place for a deep and meaningful conversation. Weiss sighed and resigned herself to the fact that they would need to ensure that Roman was taken into custody properly. Only then could they return to Beacon. Only then could she learn the truth.

* * *

That atmosphere in the dorm was one of a police station interrogation room. Even without the stereotypical table and chairs on either side of it, it still felt as if she was a detective who was about to question her prime suspect.

Weiss sat atop the bottom bunk on her side of the room with Blake on her own. They were the only two occupying the team's dorm room at the moment. Weiss had asked both Ruby and Yang to step out for a short time. While it was true that they were all teammates, and that this current problem was personal to all of them, it was especially personal to the Schnee heiress. Neither Ruby nor Yang had reasonable cause to fear for their safety. Neither of them had a history with the White Fang.

The idea of being alone with the terrorist by choice was almost enough to make the white-haired girl laugh. She may very well have laughed at the absurdity of her own decision if not for the seriousness of the situation. It was a contradiction, just like her entire life was. She constantly defined herself by her family name and legacy, and yet she wanted to be free of it to forge her own way in the world. She sought to remain emotionless and distance herself from making bonds with those who might hurt her, yet she had cried because of the actions of friends who had somehow wormed their way into her life. She abhorred those who lied, especially to her, and yet only hours ago had told perhaps the biggest one of her life to her own beloved sister.

Her mind was still a raging storm of conflicting emotions and ideas. It was too much to bear. Too much to sort out. Blake. Winter. Jaune. So many problems. So many things which could go wrong. Where did she even begin? How did she go about putting things back together?

She assumed that Blake must have had similar thoughts running through her own mind at the moment. It wasn't surprising that the normally quiet girl hadn't said a word since being left alone with the heiress, but that was usually because she would have her nose buried in one of her books. Now however Blake merely sat atop her own mattress, legs firmly planted on the floor with her hands folded in her lap. Her head was tilted down to look at them. Perhaps it was only to avoid the possibility of meeting the eyes of the girl opposite her.

It was now or never. Tense minutes of silence had passed by and nothing had been resolved yet. She had to say something, anything. Once she did at least she could wing it and go with the flow of the conversation. Weiss snorted out a single, soft breath in sad amusement. Yet another contradiction. The girl who normally planned her words and actions out with precise detail was about to go in completely unprepared against a known terrorist.

She took a deep breath before looking up to gaze at her teammate. "Blake."

Yellow eyes shifted their vigilant watch from their owner's hands to Weiss. She still did not verbally respond.

Weiss ran her tongue along her lips, which along with her throat were having an annoying tendency to dry up in these tense moments. "Tonight. You fought against the White Fang." She paused as she fought to collect her thoughts. "After what you said though, I... I don't understand why."

The faunus girl sighed. Those forlorn eyes of her once more drooped down to stare at the hands which rested in her lap. "I don't either."

"You don't know why you fought them?"

Blake shook her head softly. "No. I know why I fought them. It's just... I don't understand why they were helping Torchwick. They're not what they used to be. What I used to be a part of."

Used to be. The words hit Weiss hard. It was a kernel of truth which she had not known about back during their argument by the docks. All of this time she had assumed that Blake was still a member of the terrorist organization.

The idea crept into her mind that Blake was lying. Of course the terrorist would say she wasn't a terrorist anymore, especially if she could be exposed at a moment's notice. However there was the old expression that actions spoke louder than words. Blake had nearly died earlier in the evening fighting against not only the White Fang, but Roman Torchwick as well. Surely that was proof enough that her words were true, right?

"You're not with them anymore, then? Honestly?"

Blake's eyes darted up once more to meet Weiss' stare. "No," she said quietly. "I left them a little before coming to Beacon."

She nodded in understanding. If nothing else she would believe the words right now. She had made it a priority to be a better teammate, had she not? Originally it had been for the sake of getting along better with Ruby. Now however, in this most dire situation, her commitment to the idea would be tested. She would not be found wanting.

"I see."

Silence settled over the room once more. That could have been the end of it. Blake was no longer a member of the White Fang, and she fought against them because they were not the organization that they once were. Those were the faunus girl's own words, and Weiss could choose to take them at face value and leave it at that. Would it resolve anything, however? She did not think so. Weiss' inquisitive mind burned with the desire to know more. Knowledge was power. Power was control. And Weiss desired to be in control at all times. Control was one of the few things that all of her family's wealth and influence could not provide her. Rather ironically, those things strangled all of the control out of her life.

She had to ask the question which had gnawed away at her insides from the moment she had learned that Blake was a part of the White Fang. "Blake... I'm a Schnee. Would you ever hurt me?"

Those yellow, cat-like eyes which had been filled with nothing but fear, guilt and regret suddenly went wide. Blake's head snapped up and her body stiffened at the question. "What? No! Of course not! How could you ever ask such a question?"

A wave of guilt flooded her own body at the reaction of her teammate. It had been a difficult question to ask. An uncomfortable one. However it was one that she felt needed to be asked.

"I wasn't lying before," Weiss said softly, her head turning to avoid the accusatory look that Blake was giving her. "About family and friends dying. About being a target of the White Fang. Growing up I had... I had people I was close to die because my family and I were in the crosshairs." She stopped and took a deep breath before she was finally able to look at the other girl's face once more. "I just had to ask. I hope you understand why."

Yet more uncomfortable silence. Weiss hoped that the question had not ruined what little progress had been made since the team reunited after the battle at the docks. She was relieved when it was Blake who broke the silence.

"The people who... who were murdered," she said uneasily. "You should know that I wasn't a part of anything like that. At least... at least not directly."

Weiss' shoulders stiffened at the last part of the statement. "Directly?"

Blake shook her head slightly, as if directed at some own internal conversation rather than disagreeing with anything Weiss had said. "I never pulled a trigger. I was never even there when someone was killed. But..." She stopped as she seemed to choke on her own words, and took a moment to collect herself. "I don't know if anything I ever did contributed to it. Scouting, reconnaissance, even doing simple research. I don't know if any of that ever went towards killing someone. I'll never know if my actions resulted in someone's death. And it's that unknown, that uncertainty... it might even be worse than if I had actually killed an innocent person myself. At least then I'd know what I did. I'd know if there was something I had to make amends for."

Weiss understood. It was just another aspect of control. If Blake had been the one who pulled the trigger she would have been in control at the time. She would have known the intended outcome of her actions, and she could take responsibility one way or another. However this, not knowing what she was responsible for, it left Blake wondering just what she had done. Always doubting herself. Always suffering from the guilt of the unknown.

She nodded once in understanding. She of all people knew all too well about the lack of control. "I see."

Weiss could see the glistening in her teammate's eyes as she looked away and up to the lights which hung from the ceiling. "I know it may not sound like much, but I always did live by a personal code not to hurt the innocent." A mournful smile crossed her lips for a fraction of a second before it was cast away. "Killing innocent people would have made me no better than those I fought against. When things started to get bad... when my comrades began to target those who had no part in our people's suffering... that's when I made the decision to leave the White Fang. So I would never have to hurt anyone who didn't deserve it."

It was odd that only minutes before her mind was filled with doubts over Blake's words. Now however Weiss believed what her teammate had just said unconditionally. Ever since the formation of Team RWBY Weiss had always respected the girl because of her logical, calm and sane mind. Cast adrift in the waters of insanity known as Ruby and Yang, Blake was an island of stability and reason. It was funny, really, about how deceiving looks could be. How a person you thought you knew could turn out to be someone completely different and unexpected. Both for better or worse.

Still, the words 'didn't deserve it' begged to be further explored. Weiss took the plunge and asked yet another question. "Would you have ever killed someone who did deserve it? Who were responsible for harming your kind?"

The way Blake once more averted her gaze spoke volumes in what she thought of the question. Her attention returned once more to her lap, where it stayed for long seconds before she finally answered. However rather than a direct one, she answered the question with another question. "Weiss. Do you have any idea what it's like to have no control in your life?"

The question gave the so-called ice queen chills. She knew all too well what it felt like. "Yes," she replied simply.

Blake nodded, accepting the response without hesitation. "We tried. We really did. But nothing worked." A sigh slipped through her lips. "The peaceful protests didn't work. The boycotts didn't work. People would just walk by and laugh at you and everything you stood for. Others would just ignore you because it wasn't their problem, and if it didn't affect them then why should they bother caring?"

That certainly did sound like what people did. Even in Atlas among the wealthy, they would only ever truly champion a cause if it affected those that they cared for. A fundraiser for finding a cure to a disease was a common way to build reputation and goodwill, but it was only when their own loved ones were afflicted that they truly poured all of their being into attempting to find a treatment.

"But then..." she continued. "One day, someone decided to _make_ them care. To show the world that we were serious about what we stood for. And when the dust had settled and the smoke had cleared we finally had their attention. It felt good, Weiss. It felt really good, because when people fear you it makes you feel powerful. And when you feel powerful you feel like you can actually make a difference. Like you actually are making a difference."

Weiss couldn't disagree with the idea. She had on more than one occasion thought of using her own strength and talents against her father. The man, as powerful and influential as he was financially and politically, was a weak and fragile old man. His white hair was a result of his age rather than the Schnee bloodline he had married into. She could have broken him in half without working up a sweat. She had ultimately decided against any such notions, however. The consequences of such actions would far outweigh the immediate benefits.

"Having power and control felt good," Weiss mused. "I understand where you're coming from, Blake. I really do. But what gives you the right to be judge, jury and executioner? What's your definition of innocent? Who decides who is guilty?"

"I don't know," the other girl admitted. "Feeling powerless can make you do crazy things. It can make you believe crazy things."

Yet another thing the two had in common. The feeling of powerlessness was what had ultimately caused Weiss to attend Beacon Academy rather than be schooled in Atlas. Was that not a crazy thing to do? To travel halfway around the world merely to escape the suffocating grip of her father? Most people would have gladly taken her life of fame and fortune in exchange for control of their lives.

"Even kill."

Blake nodded. "When you put the mask on you aren't yourself anymore. You're just a nameless, faceless person. When you're part of a group you lose your individuality. You're more likely to do things you wouldn't normally when only you would be held responsible. It's easier to commit violent acts in the name of a cause. You justify the violence to yourself when it's directed at the right people. And when you believe your cause is righteous, and you see that this violence is finally getting you results, it makes the violence seem more appealing. Like it's the only way things will ever change."

The faunus girl shook her head, wiping a palm across her face. Weiss wasn't sure if she was wiping away tears or if it was some sort of nervous habit. The one thing that was for certain was the tortured tone in her teammate's voice.

"You believed all of that once, didn't you?"

"I did," she whispered. "I did with all of my being. Until I actually saw it with my own eyes. To see someone I..." the words caught in her throat once more. "Someone I trusted, someone I loved, so casually take the lives of others without a second thought. Before that moment it was all just an idea. The means to an end. I never actually considered the impact it would have on other people. Or on myself."

"So would you kill now?" Weiss asked, hoping with all of her being that Blake would give her the answer that she sought. "Even if it was the people who did deserve it?"

Blake once again focused her vision on Weiss' ice-blue eyes. Perhaps she wanted there to be no room for mistake or deception in her response. "No," she answered firmly. "I could never bring myself to murder someone else in cold blood. Not even the worst people in the world."

Weiss let out a soft breath of relief and it felt as if a giant weight had been lifted off of her chest. She believed Blake. The earnest tone of her voice. The hard edge in her eyes. The way her fingers had curled to form fists in her lap now. She had no doubt in her mind that Blake was indeed always the person she had thought she was. Even if the heiress had lost sight of who that person was for a brief time.

"That's... I'm glad," Weiss said as a soft, sincere smile graced her lips. "I know that we have our differences, and that it will take time and effort to move past them. However I want us to be a team again. I want us to have the same trust we had before all of this happened. I want to be friends."

That was the commitment she had made after all. Be a good teammate. She would not see her team torn apart by this incident. Especially because after learning more of Blake's past and her motives, there was nothing to be upset about anymore. The two may have differing points of view on some issues, especially those concerning the faunus, but that did not mean that they could not still be friends. Teammates. Family.

The though surprised Weiss as soon as it entered her mind. These girls truly were like family now, weren't they?

"I'd like that," Blake agreed. "And Weiss..."

"Yes?"

"Thank you." Weiss shot her a curious look beckoning the girl to continue. "For not saying anything to your sister. You didn't have any reason to help me at the time. You didn't know anything of what I'd just told you."

"That's one reason I didn't. I wanted to know more. I had to know more. I don't think I could have lived with myself... like you said before, living with the unknown. Wondering about the uncertainty."

Blake chuckled lightly at her own words being repeated at her. "You know for a Schnee and former White Fang member, we really do have a lot in common."

"We do," Weiss agreed. She stood up and motioned for Blake to follow. "Let's go find Ruby and Yang. I'm sure they're worried sick that the two of us will wind up killing each other if they don't hear from us soon."

"Probably."

The two girls left the dorm, and Weiss pulled out her scroll to message Ruby so that the four of them could meet somewhere. All she wanted to do right now was sleep, but she knew that the team as a whole still needed time to recover. Her issues with Blake may have been resolved, but that was just one aspect of the entire mess. As such she would be there, present and awake, so that she could play her role in the healing process. It was for the good of the team. It was for the good of her own personal growth. Winter would be proud of her, should she even learn the truth of what had transpired.

Things were far from over, however. There was still another problem that loomed over her head. One of the contradictions which seemed to define her very being.

Tomorrow would be another long day.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** I am the worst kind of person. And I'm not saying that to be funny or sarcastic. I genuinely feel awful about not having updated in so long.

The honest reason is that I hated writing about 75% of this chapter. I hate rewriting canon bits, even if there is my own unique spin or interpretation on it. However I felt that the docks part had to be written because it is different, and that it does have so much to do with Weiss' growth as a person in regards to her feelings for Jaune, Blake and the White Fang. So I trudged my way through this chapter, sometimes only writing a page or even a paragraph at a time before giving up and saying to myself, "This is awful. I'll continue another time."

However now that this is over, I can move on to parts of the story that have been swimming in my head for months now. Hopefully (and I know I say this practically every chapter now) things will get back on track!

But hey, it's not so bad! Just in case you weren't aware I've started posting a second story, Take a Walk on the Wild Side. If you like reading about Jaune and/or the Malachite twins, then maybe this story will interest you.

As always, thank you to all who have read and reviewed. Since I last updated this story has passed 1,000 follows, which truly boggles my mind. I seriously can't thank all of you enough for your interest, for your kind words, for your support, for everything. That's why I will never give up on this story, and I will always strive to do my best in writing and updating it. You have all put in the effort of reading and supporting it, and that means so much to me. So thank you once again.

Hopefully you enjoyed this chapter.


	22. Chapter 22

**Author's Note:** As always my thanks go out to everyone for reading and reviewing.

Sorry for the delay in updates. I actually had a lot of this chapter done for the past few weeks. However I had a fair amount of indecision with how I wanted to proceed from there. Even 200,000 words into this story I still get nervous about if I'm making the right decisions or not. So know that your kind words mean a lot to me, and I truly appreciate them.

Enjoy.

* * *

A noise akin to a buzzing hornet's nest invaded her sleeping mind. In her half-conscious brain she dreamt that she was once more in the Emerald Forest. Only this time rather than facing off against Beowolves she was looking up at the swarming insects.

It took a second buzz to fully shake her awake. Weiss' eyes slowly cracked open to reveal a still dark room. After a few seconds to get her bearings she realized that she was in her team's dorm room. An annoyed breath slipped through her lips as she realized that her half-asleep mind had played a trick on her. She hated when that happened. Her own brain was the one thing that she should have been able to control at all times.

Finally realizing what the source of the sound must have been, Weiss looked over to her scroll resting on the small table beside her and Ruby's bunk bed. It must have been her alarm. It was time for her morning training regimen with-

Her heart froze the moment his name had entered her thoughts.

A memory suddenly came to the forefront of her mind. She had not set her alarm this morning. Why would she after what had occurred the previous day? The two had not spoken to one another since the incident in downtown Vale. She had not even seen him since storming off the way she had. So then what had set her scroll off? If not her alarm, and certainly not the sleeping Ruby messaging her, then who? Could it have actually been Jaune wondering if they would carry out their usual training session?

There was only one way to find out.

Weiss grabbed the scroll, sliding it open to reveal a bright screen which made her eyes wince in discomfort. It was far too early for this and her eyes were still adjusted for darkness. Through her pained squint she could make out the beginnings of a message which she expanded upon touching it with a finger.

"Winter?" she whispered to herself in confusion.

The text message asked for Weiss to meet her elder sister in her room within the hour. That settled at least one matter for certain. There would be no training this morning even if one or both of the teens had expected there to be. Winter was her priority. Winter came first.

Filled with a sudden sense of urgency, Weiss felt more awake now as she lifted the covers off of her and swung her legs off of the bed to hit the floor. She would need to prepare herself to visit her sister, as it would not do to step out in a pale blue nightgown and unkempt hair cascading down her shoulders. Her mind quickly came to the conclusion that as long as she was up now she might as well stay up, and that included fully preparing herself for the day's events. A shower was a necessity, and would only aid her in fully waking up before seeing her sister. Perhaps the two of them would be able to enjoy a nice quiet breakfast together as well. Yes, today was bound to be a good day if it was starting out like this.

The heiress quietly made her way to the team's bathroom, taking care not to wake any of them up and disrupt their precious Sunday morning. She doubted that Ruby or Yang would be up for several more hours and did not wish to change that. She did not fear Yang's wrath like many others might have, but the absolute last thing she needed was for a curious and energetic Ruby to follow her to Winter's quarters and get in on whatever private time she might have with her sibling.

After a quick shower Weiss emerged with still damp hair, not taking the time and energy to blow dry it so early in the morning. After all, more noise would only risk in waking the other three girls she shared her dorm with. She sat on her bed in familiar white and blue attire, sliding her heeled boots onto her feet. All the while she wondered just what Winter wanted to see her about so early in the morning. She understood that early mornings were a way of life in the military, so perhaps her elder sister did not see anything unusual about it. She would find out soon enough.

Her plan had been executed with the precision and perfection expected of a Schnee, and after quietly slipping out of the room Weiss strode down the empty hall with a sense of purpose. Despite everything which had happened with her team and with Jaune she could not help but feel excited about being summoned by Winter. The feeling of being wanted by another was something she had lacked most of her life. Of all the members of her family, only Winter ever made her feel truly welcome.

A light knock on the door echoed softly in the hall, and Weiss took a step back afterward and stood with her hands clasped in front of her. Her face was a blank mask, and her posture tall and stiff. To any outside observer she may as well have been a porcelain doll.

A few seconds later the door swung open to reveal a mirrored imagine of beauty and grace. What she hoped to be in a few years time. "Good morning, Weiss," Winter greeted with those curious blue eyes of hers. Eyes which despite all of her efforts, Weiss was never truly able to read the intentions of.

Weiss dipped her head lightly before returning her gaze to her sister's face. "Good morning, Winter."

The older girl stepped aside and gestured with an arm. "Please, come inside."

"Thank you." Weiss followed orders like one of her sister's soldiers and wasted no time in entering the room.

As the door closed behind her Weiss looked around and saw a room which looked like it had gone untouched. The bed was neatly made as if a servant had attended to the room only minutes earlier. No garbage or debris of any sort littered the room, and even the waste basket was clean and empty. The only thing which appeared out of the norm was the small suitcase which stood on the floor beside the bed.

Out of the potential public eye now, no matter how unlikely it might have been so early in the morning, Winter relaxed the formality in her tone. "I apologize for disturbing you so early on a weekend. I hope I did not inconvenience you this morning."

Weiss let a small smile form on her face before waving off the concern with a flick of her wrist. "It's fine. I would normally be up this early anyway."

She had not meant for the words to be accompanied by the frown which replaced her smile almost instantly. She cursed herself for the slipup, attributing it to the comfort of being around Winter and not having to keep up any sort of mask or appearance. Much to her dismay, and not at all to her surprise, her sister picked up on the sudden shift in mood and pressed the issue.

"May I ask why you would normally be up so early on a regular basis?"

Weiss forced the frown off of her face, replacing it with a neutral expression which she so often wore in public. "Training."

Winter gestured for her to take a seat on the bed, and Weiss made no argument as she sat atop it. The older woman grabbed the chair which sat tucked into the small wooden desk and brought it to sit opposite the heiress. Weiss found it rather fitting that the stern and rigid woman would prefer the hard and stable wooden seat over the comfort of one of Beacon Academy's beds.

"Training which I imagine is not your usual personal exercises?" Winter inquired.

"Yes. How did you know?"

"I have always known your training with Myrtenaster to be a cathartic exercise for you," Winter explained. "One which you would not have frowned at the prospect of completing."

Weiss cursed inwardly again at her face's betrayal. She did not used to be so careless. Even if she was comfortable around her beloved older sister, Weiss was well-versed in hiding her true emotions from even family. However there was no point in even attempting to hide the truth from Winter. She likely already knew it anyway.

"Jaune and I have daily sparring sessions early in the morning," Weiss explained. "We decided on the time as a result of the training room sometimes being occupied by other students in the afternoon after classes are over."

The word "we" was a bit of a stretch since it had been Weiss alone who decided on the change. The boy's protests had gone unheeded, but in the end he complied. He had wanted so badly to get better at fighting. Back then Weiss had merely believed it to be his desire to live up to his family's expectations. Now she knew better. Now she knew the whole truth.

"I see," her sister said evenly. "Tell me, how is that progressing?"

What could she say? There was the truth and then the whole truth once again. Jaune was progressing finely if she were to give a simple honest answer. His swordplay had improved dramatically and he was able to effectively use his shield as an offensive weapon as opposed to merely hiding behind it as he once had.

On the other hand there was the fact that he was a liar. A cheater. A fraud. He had admitted as much himself. He had snuck into Beacon Academy with false transcripts in order to live out his dream of becoming a huntsman. Did Winter need to know that? What would she do if she found out? Could she really lie again to her sister less than a day after lying about Blake?

In the end Weiss panicked, deciding to say as little as possible on the topic. "He's improving more and more each day."

Winter nodded, a hint of amusement dancing in her pale blue eyes. "This is good to hear. When you first told me about how the Arc boy was a poor fighter I feared the worst. To see such weakness from a storied military family like theirs is tragic."

The conversation was beginning to take a strange turn much like their one at the CCT had. Back then Weiss had first learned of the great legacy which Jaune's family carried. It had explained why he wanted to be a great warrior himself. Such motives could drive a person to do crazy things. To go as far as to even lie to get into the combat school of their choice.

"Indeed," the heiress agreed.

"You were tutored by Atlas' finest, but teaching is an incredibly difficult task for even the most experienced in it. Do you feel that your lessons have meshed well with the training he already possessed up to this point?"

Why did she have to phrase it like that? Now that Weiss knew the truth she knew that the boy had practically zero training prior to attending Beacon. She had started from the very basics. There was nothing to build upon. In a way that was better than forcing new information onto an existing combat style, as there was no conflict to make a mess of things. There was nothing to mesh with. To not acknowledge this issue would basically be telling yet another lie to her sister. It ate at her. She hated it. She hated the hypocrisy she felt inside. That she, the girl who hated nothing more than those who lied to her, would do so to others so casually. So readily. So selfishly.

In the end her hesitation earned the attention of her ever-perceptive older sister. "Weiss?"

The younger Schnee snapped from her thoughts, unaware of just how long she had been sitting in silence. "Yes?"

"Is something bothering you?"

 _Yes._ It really was a simple answer, yet she could do nothing to utter it in such a complex and convoluted mess. She wanted to skirt around the issue, to deflect, to get away from the subject entirely. However she knew that she would not be able to. Winter already knew something was wrong, despite the fact that she had phrased that knowledge in the form of a question.

Weiss sighed as she looked away from her sister. "Winter, may I tell you something in confidence?"

When Weiss looked back up at her she found Winter's expression had not changed. "Of course. I will always treat any sensitive information concerning you as I would classified military intelligence."

The thought made Weiss smile and a warm sensation course through her body. Truly she could think of no greater or stronger bond than that of loyal siblings. Parents loved their children unconditionally, or so she had been told. Teammates in the field would bleed and even die for one another. However brothers and sisters shared a special bond that combined and surpassed both of the other two relationships. What Weiss had with Winter was something which was incomparable to what she had with Ruby. It was above and beyond anything she had ever felt for her own parents.

"It's about Jaune..." she started, the words coming out shaky and uneasy. The fear of how Winter would react to the truth scared her, even with the knowledge that her sister would hold her secret.

Winter remained as emotionless as ever, merely waiting for her to continue.

"Well you see... he's not exactly..." She paused, mentally chastising herself for sounding like such a stumbling and mumbling fool. She was Weiss Schnee. She performed in concerts in front of thousands of people. She was not a shy and modest schoolgirl who was stepping up in front of a class of a few dozen students to give a project presentation. And yet the words would not come. They seemed to get lost as they made their way from her brain to her mouth.

"Yes?" Winter asked patiently. Her hands were still neatly folded atop her lap, her eyes still calm with no trace of expectancy or urging.

"What I mean to say is..." She shook her head, once more mentally cursing at herself for making such a fool of herself in front of her sister. Why was this so difficult? _Just come out and say it already!_ A moment later she squeezed her eyes closed, finally fed up with her indecisiveness and ready to listen to her thoughts. "He lied about his transcripts to get into Beacon!"

The words had come out louder than she had intended, and she was thankful to be in a private room alone with her sister. Outing Jaune's lie to the most trusted person in her life had been hard enough. If anyone else had heard it...

A wave of guilt washed over her at the thought of such a betrayal of his trust, despite the fact that he had in fact betrayed hers as well. Or perhaps the guilt she felt was the fact that she had simply betrayed that trust to a single person.

The long moments that passed felt like minutes rather than seconds as Weiss waited for her sister's horrified reaction. The idea that some scruffy-looking liar would put her in danger with his inexperience would probably force Winter's hand and make her betray her earlier word to keep this secret. However as Weiss opened her eyes and looked back to her sister she found that her expression had still not changed. She knew that Winter was an expert at not wearing her heart on her sleeve, but even this was impressive. Shocking, even.

What was more shocking were the words which came next.

"I know," Winter said simply.

Weiss felt a cold stab at her chest. She didn't know what it was. Simple shock? Relief? Betrayal? It was a complex emotion that she could not give a single definition to.

Instead she didn't even think about categorizing it, and instead merely echoed her sister. "You know?"

"Yes."

"But- I mean- how? How long?"

"Since your last letter to me," Winter explained. "Siren Academy does not exist. The fact that you included its name in your letter, and that the Arc boy said that he attended it, piqued my suspicion. It was not difficult to connect the dots after that."

Memories of that letter to Winter flooded back into her mind. With everything which had happened recently it seemed like months ago. In reality it had only been a couple of weeks. She remembered her confusion over those in Atlesian military intelligence finding so little about Jaune's past when it came to huntsman training. She remembered the oddity in not mentioning he attended Siren Academy. It all made sense now.

Weiss shook her head slightly in disbelief. Things were finally coming together. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"The secret was not mine to tell, just as the secret you still hide from him is not." A ghost of a smile played on her elder sister's lips as she spoke her next words. "If I were to have done the work for you then you would never learn anything on your own."

The heiress winced at that ugly truth. Her hypocrisy was laid bare for both of them to see once more.

However her sister's words also had a comforting effect on her. Just as Jaune's secret was not Winter's to tell, Blake's secret was not Weiss' to tell. This was perhaps a confirmation that she had made the right decision in not telling Winter about Blake. She had lied to Winter in order to protect her teammate... her friend, from potential Atlesian retaliation. Both Atlas and the Schnee family held a special hatred for the White Fang. Surely Winter would have been doubly pleased in apprehending such a potent enemy agent, even if that enemy had long since abandoned that way of life.

Was that just merely another example of her hypocrisy? Here she was spilling Jaune's secret to her sister while still hiding Blake's. The thought made her head hurt. Was one more right than the other? Were these the shades of grey she had heard so much about in her studies of philosophy and morality? She didn't know. She didn't want to over-think it right now. She had enough on her plate at the moment without adding onto it with philosophical drivel.

"I see," Weiss wound up saying in the end. She did not know what else she could say at a time like this.

"What do you intend to do now?"

Weiss hadn't thought that far ahead yet. She hadn't spoken to Jaune since learning the truth. Then with the whole Blake situation happening at the same time, she had not even considered where she stood with Jaune.

The answer was as simple as her last words to her sister. "I don't know."

Winter hummed at the answer, leaning back into her seat. "Do you still intend to go through with your competition with Mr. Winchester? Do you intend to complete Mr. Arc's training?"

Training. The very reason she was up so early on a Sunday morning in the first place. There would be no training today. Would there ever be any again in the future? It was yet another question Weiss did not know the answer to. Another issue she had not thought that far ahead on.

However she knew the answer deep in her heart. She was a Schnee. A Schnee kept to the path they chose and saw it through. It was a matter of honor. A matter of pride.

"I have no choice in the matter," Weiss answered, this time filled with a confidence which had been lacking only moments before. "I must finish what I started."

"Do you?" Winter questioned.

The question took Weiss aback, slightly surprised by her sister's lack of understanding. "Of course. I have no choice in the matter."

"You do," the other girl argued. "It is only your own sense of pride that forces you to continue down this path."

Weiss couldn't help but notice that Winter's own words echoed those which filled her own thoughts. Truly they were sisters who shared a bond that few others would ever understand. However even this bond did not prevent them from disagreeing on the matter at hand.

"No," Weiss countered. "You even told me a few days ago that I had to see it through. That I had to finish what I started."

"I did indeed," Winter agreed. "However you are not obligated to follow my orders. You are not a soldier under my command. You are a grown woman who is free to make her own decisions. Do not utilize my words as a scapegoat to excuse you from your own choice."

The accusation made Weiss falter in her own argument. No, she wasn't using Winter's past words as an excuse. Was she? Would she stop training Jaune if she could? If so then what did that mean for her bet with Cardin? Could she just call it off? Ignore it?

Or even... nullify it entirely by informing Beacon of Jaune's false transcripts?

She shuddered at the dark thought. Such a manipulation of sensitive information would have been something that her father would do without hesitation. Blackmail was a powerful tool in the worlds of business and politics. No, she would never stoop so low. She would never seek to emulate her father. Not even to someone who had lied to her.

In the end she conceded the point to Winter. "I suppose you're correct. I apologize for trying to use you as an excuse for my own actions."

Winter held a hand up gently to dismiss the apology. "There is nothing to forgive, Weiss. In the end it is important to know yourself and know what you want."

Weiss nodded wordlessly. As usual her older sister spoke words of wisdom which were well beyond her years.

"So what is it that you want?" Winter asked pointedly.

"What?"

The older woman leaned forward slightly in the chair, those piercing Schnee eyes boring holes into Weiss. The heiress briefly wondered if the chills which were currently running through her body was what other people felt when she herself gave them her icy glare.

"Weiss, I have read all of the letters you have sent me numerous times upon receiving them. Despite how often you complained about the Arc boy in your letters you continued to spend time with him every day. Week after week. Month after month. Not because you were forced to do so as teammates as you were with Ms. Rose, but by choice. I do not believe it to be a simple matter of pride which made you continue down that road."

Weiss shook her head hurriedly. "It wasn't a choice. I had t-"

"No," Winter interrupted. "We have already established that you were not forced to do this. Not my myself, nor by your own pride. Your pride is simply another scapegoat that you cling to as an excuse."

The words made Weiss bristle, her response holding a defensive tone. "So?" she questioned.

"Could it be that you enjoy spending time with him? That you enjoy his jokes and his teasing? His informality with you? The way he spoke to and treated you just like any other person in the world?"

How absurd. As if she could ever enjoy spending time with that... that _idiot._ He was crude, unrefined, and impossible to be taken seriously. He was a fool. The antithesis of everything she had ever known back in Atlas. He was the kind of boy which her father would never approve of even sharing a friendship with.

The accusation summoned a soft growl from the heiress before she replied. "Preposterous," she huffed. "Why would I ever find such foolish behavior appealing?"

What a ridiculous question. It was probably yet another attempt at a joke from Winter. Just like when her sister had said that she and Jaune would have powerful blue-eyed children. With her luck Weiss would end up having eight of them like he had in his own absurdly large family. As if she would ever...

 _A girl should be so lucky to find a man with Aura levels and... stamina as high as his_.

She shook the thought clear of her head before it could gain another inch. Stupid Winter for putting it there in the first place. Stupid Ruby for calling Jaune her boyfriend that one time. And most importantly, stupid Jaune for being stupid Jaune.

If Winter noticed her wandering mind and subsequent reaction she made no comment on it. "Perhaps because it is contrary to everything you have ever known or experienced. Do you think that father would ever tolerate such buffoonery in his presence? Do you think he would approve of this friendship you have with him? Jaune Arc represents everything you are not, and everything that you and I were never allowed to be. He represents freedom from the life you seek to break away from."

Inane drivel. That was the only way Weiss could describe what Winter had just said. Her mind raced to formulate a counterattack, and in the end fell back to something she had once said to Jaune himself. "A pet dog," she said, as if that would explain everything.

Winter frowned in confusion at the explanation. "Excuse me?"

When Weiss realized the statement would not suffice she continued. "You know that father never let us have any pets growing up. Perhaps I'm simply making up for lost time. Dogs are simple and loyal creatures after all. So is Jaune. I even reward him with treats sometimes."

"Treats?"

"The idiot likes beef jerky," she explained. "A perfect comparison if I do say so myself."

"An interesting comparison. Would you have also taught your hypothetical dog how to fight with a sword?"

"Of course not. However any good owner knows how to teach their dog tricks. Instructing Jaune is no different."

A smirk rose on Winter's face. "Touché, Weiss."

Weiss crossed her arms with a satisfied harrumph, feeling that the debate was over and that she had won. There were few greater feelings in the world than that of being right.

The feeling dissipated a moment later as Winter reached out to take Weiss by the hand, holding it in both of her own. "Weiss," she said gently. "There is nothing wrong with liking this boy."

Old feelings were stirred inside of her. Feelings from Ruby's words at the clothing store. From Winter's words during their CCT call. From Jaune himself back when they had first started their training. All of the incidents had been joking in nature, but the suggested emotions behind them were too serious to simply laugh off for her.

"For the last time I do not like him!" she yelled, yanking her hand away from Winter in annoyance. A second later she winced and her shoulders slumped, her posture losing all of the defiance it had possessed a moment earlier. "I'm sorry," she said softly. "I didn't mean to yell at you."

Mustering up the courage to gaze back up at Winter once more, she saw a look of amusement on her sister's face rather than one of anger. "As a friend, Weiss," she said in a tone which held an equal measure of humor. "As a friend. That is what you want, is it not?"

Weiss folded her arms once more, and once more refused to meet her sister's gaze. This time it was out of embarrassment rather than shame. The fact that she had once more jumped to the wrong conclusion was likely not lost on the elder Schnee sister.

"No," she said reflexively. Weiss froze when she realized how her prying sister might interpret the response. "I mean yes! I mean... I don't know." When Winter didn't respond immediately she again felt compelled to clarify her statement. "And not in the way that you're thinking!"

"I did not say a word."

"No, but you were thinking it."

"Perhaps," the Specialist smiled. "However clearly I am not the only one who is doing so."

Weiss looked away once more, her face suddenly feeling warmer than it had been a few seconds before. Was someone adjusting the temperature controls in Beacon this morning? How irresponsible. She would have to speak with someone about the dorms being too warm.

"There is nothing wrong with enjoying spending time with him. Friends come in all manner of forms and personalities. Sometimes in those people whom you would never have imagined being able to mesh with."

 _Like Ruby_ , Weiss thought. _Like Yang. Even Blake... even a former White Fang terrorist._

"He lied to me," she said, the old excuse sounding far weaker this time than it had in the past.

"As did you," Winter countered.

"But I had a good reason."

"How do you know his reason was not good either? Did you even bother to ask?"

She had not. She had stormed off in anger. In sorrow. In pain. After what had already occurred with Blake she had not been in the mood to deal with any more betrayal. With any more lies. No, Jaune's reasons were still known only to himself. She had not once given him a reason to explain his side of the story. After all, she had even given Blake a chance to explain herself. In the end the explanation explained a lot about her teammate. It had allowed them to rebuild a semblance of trust.

"No..." Weiss admitted. The guilt of the admission made her feel uneasy inside. She hated the indecisiveness.

"Perhaps you should."

"I know, Winter. But still..."

"Have you forgotten so quickly that you lied to me?"

Weiss' heart stopped for a split second. What? Her eyes went wide as her head snapped up to stare into Winter's icy orbs. Again, there was no anger in them. Merely a calm expression waiting to see how Weiss would react to the question.

In the end all Weiss could do was utter a single sentence. It was uncomfortably familiar to one she had already said once in this conversation. "You knew?"

"Weiss," Winter started, her tone holding a sort of knowing that a mother might have for a child she was confronting about stealing from the cookie jar. At least that was what Weiss imagined, never having experienced either a cookie jar nor a mother who was so attentive. "The story that you and your teammates came up with at the docks was ridiculous. I would have had to be a complete fool not to have seen through it."

A humorless chuckle slipped through Weiss' lips. Of course the sister whom she idolized so much would be able to see through such a sloppy lie. "But you let it go. Why?"

"I believed you had your reasons. I trusted you and your reasons." Winter reached out to pat Weiss on her knee, the warmth of the contact comforting the younger girl. "Perhaps you should trust in Jaune's."

Trust in Jaune. Was it really that simple? She supposed it was. After all, she had already trusted in Blake enough to not turn her in... for all the good that did. Winter knew that she was hiding something from her, and yet she trusted in Weiss' reasoning.

She supposed that after everything she probably did owe him the benefit of the doubt. She had experienced firsthand the merits of lying not out of malice, but to protect others. Perhaps that was what Jaune had done as well. Perhaps she was being too hard on him. After all, she already knew that she was a hypocrite on the matter. She already planned on telling him how she had lied to him.

"I'll speak with him today," Weiss said at last. "I haven't seen him since yesterday afternoon. Since before the docks."

"Very good," Winter said as she stood up from her chair. Weiss mimicked the action, lifting herself off the bed to stand opposite her sister. "For now, however, I must be leaving."

Weiss felt her heart plummet. The frown on her face externalized her feelings at the moment. "You're leaving? So soon?"

Winter nodded. "Military intelligence determined that a large supply of dust arriving via ship at Vale's port could possibly be a target for White Fang activity. Normally such a small task would be beneath my station and be left to local authorities. However, after learning of your... relationship with the Arc boy, and learning the truth about his admittance at Beacon Academy, I petitioned General Ironwood to assign me to the dust shipment rumors."

Weiss' eyes went wide in shock for a brief moment. "You mean that this trip really wasn't about secret military business?"

A knowing smirk answered Weiss' question before Winter continued. "I must confess that while I officially came to Vale under the pretense of investigating White Fang activity in connection to recent dust robberies, I chose this mission specifically so that I would be able to visit you. I had to ensure that no undue harm would come to you as a result of your interest in this boy."

"I see. May I ask what conclusion you came to?"

"Harmless," Winter said with confidence. "Merely a boy who seeks to improve himself. I only asked that he tell you the truth about his situation so that you would not wind up in a situation which would put your lives in danger."

That was good. Despite their falling out, Weiss desperately did not want Jaune to turn out to be just another one of her false friends. One who used her for her wealth, status or influence. What Jaune wanted from her was out in the open and could be taken at face value.

Sudden realization washed over Weiss. The day where Winter had first arrived. The day she had found her speaking alone with Jaune. That had not been a mere accident or coincidence. It had been by design.

"So you knew," Weiss said, the pieces now falling into place. "When you spoke to Jaune in private, right before I... before I punched him for that misunderstanding. You were discussing the truth with him. About his transcripts."

The smirk did not disappear when Winter answered. "Yes."

The feelings of jealousy Weiss had once felt for Winter speaking to Jaune before herself began to fade away. In the end it had been all for her. Winter was looking after her in her own way. Whether it was thousands of miles away in Atlas, or right here in the very heart of Beacon, her dear older sister had nothing but her best interests at heart. Even if she sometimes had a strange way of showing it.

"I see," Weiss said neutrally. However she could not prevent her own relieved smile from creeping onto her lips.

Winter reached down to pick up her single suitcase before turning back to Weiss. "Would you care to escort me to the airship terminal?"

Weiss nodded, already moving to open the door for her sister. "I would be honored."

They stepped out together, a comfortable silence shared between the two as they walked down the hall. Everything that had been discussed in private was to stay private, and neither had expected a single further word to be spoken outside of that room.

In that time Weiss had time to contemplate the future. One where she was going to have to face her own lies. One here she would have to be prepared to deal with the consequences.

* * *

When Jaune had woken up on Sunday morning his first thoughts after getting past the early morning haze had been to check his scroll. To his unexpected surprise there was not a message of any sort from Professors Ozpin or Goodwitch. The fear which had been gnawing in the pit of his stomach for the past day had not come to pass. Did this mean he was in the clear? Was Weiss really not going to rat him out?

He didn't know what to think. Perhaps Ruby and Yang had talked her out of the idea, since the two sisters had been in his corner when it came to his continued presence at Beacon Academy. Yang had gone as far as to say that anyone who plotted to get him kicked out of the school would have to deal with her. He doubted that this was an idle threat. He doubted that the blonde girl would hesitate to stand up to Weiss on his behalf.

They were not alone. The previous night he had come clean to his own teammates about the truth of his admission to Beacon. At that point he had fully expected the hammer to fall on him at any moment, so had decided to let them hear his side of the story first before any unpleasant rumors began to spread. Much to his surprise they had taken the news much in the same way as Ruby and Yang.

Pyrrha had offered him a small but genuine smile, thanking him for trusting her with something so personal. She assured him that his secret would be safe with her. While their relationship was not quite as close as other partners he had seen, they had indeed warmed up to one another in recent weeks. He remembered their chat while he was confined to the hospital bed, and how that may have been the turning point for their relationship with one another.

Meanwhile Nora had shown her usual energy and enthusiasm, promising broken bones and ruptured organs to anyone who dared try and assassinate her fearless leader. He doubted that anyone would take her threats lightly. And like with Yang, Jaune doubted that the girl would not follow through on said threats.

Ren had offered what was perhaps his own unique show of support simply by not reining in Nora's usual insanity. The always stoic and reserved young man may not have openly expressed his approval or reassurance to Jaune, but for someone like Ren actions spoke louder than words. Sometimes a simple nod was worth a hundred of them.

Looking back to his scroll, Jaune's weary eyes read that it was around six in the morning. No alarm had been set, but his body had become acclimated to waking up so early for his regular training sessions with Weiss. Reaching up with his free hand he rubbed his brow. After what had happened the day before he doubted that there would be any training today. He doubted that Weiss wished to speak with him.

So what was he to do then? Simply go back to sleep? The thought was a tempting one. However he was not at a combat school to sleep. He had not put in hundreds of hours of rigorous training over the past few months just to relax. He had a lot of catching up to do. It was because of his false transcripts in the first place that he had to work twice as hard as anyone else here. Lying around doing nothing when he would normally be training would not get him the results which he sought.

It was with that thought that Jaune pushed himself out of bed, careful not to wake his sleeping teammates. There would be no shower now, not when he planned on soaking his body with sweat as he trained himself. His usual simple jogging attire would do. Perhaps running a couple of miles this morning would be cathartic. Conditioning was the foundation of a good warrior, as Weiss s-

Jaune shook the thought from his mind. He wasn't doing this for her. He was doing this for himself. For his family. For his future.

In his mind he set his plan for the day. He didn't need her guidance. The jog would get his blood pumping and aid him in his stamina. After that a combat training session with his sword and shield would further hone his much-improved battle skills. After that he would eat a large and healthy breakfast which would revitalize his exhausted body. It would work. Just as it had all of these months now.

The still rising sun was warm on his face as he stepped outside. The sky above was bright and beautiful without a single cloud blemishing the oceanic blue above. Along with the temperature being warm but not too hot, it was a perfect day. Perhaps things would start to get better.

His mind cleared as he ran. It wasn't as fast as he was capable of, but he was going for longevity rather than speed. As the saying went, it was a marathon and not a sprint. It was a microcosm for all of his training, truthfully. He would not succeed in a short amount of time. What he wished to do could not be accomplished in a matter of weeks or even months. It would take years. However he was determined to see it through one day at a time. Just as he was now.

It wasn't long after he settled into a mindless rhythm that he was suddenly broken from it. Usually the campus was deserted this early in the morning, especially on a weekend. This norm was shattered at the sight of a pair of women slowly strolling across the grounds toward what looked to be the airship dock. Even from a slight distance they were unmistakable. He knew only one family who had the naturally white hair that they did.

His pace slowed to a walk as he panicked. What should he do? He was already in trouble with the elder girl who had all but ordered him to confess the truth of his situation to her younger sibling. He doubted very much that she would ever want to speak to him again now that their business had been concluded.

Then there was the smaller one. The one who had stormed away from him after learning the truth. The one who hated liars. The one he had lied to.

Jaune was tempted to simply turn around and go back the way he had come. Would that make him weak? Would that make him a coward? Would it even matter what either of the Schnees thought of him? He didn't know the answer to any of those questions, but before he could come to a decision one was made for him.

He saw how Winter had leaned over to say something to Weiss, and the younger girl stopped in place. The older sister meanwhile altered her path slightly so that it would take it past him on her way to the airship station. He knew that this was deliberate. He knew that her attention was on him. In the end he made no effort to avoid her, and stopped as she neared his projected path.

She stopped as well. Around ten feet separated the two of them. It was a staring contest, and Jaune was not surprised when he was the first one to break contact. When he looked back up at Winter her expression had not changed. She knew what had happened. Weiss must have told her everything by now.

He didn't know what the reason for this little meeting was. However when he looked over to the woman who had forced his hand, all he could think to do was ask a simple question. "Is this what you wanted?"

Everything was a mess now. He was to blame and he knew that. However there was the small and immature part of himself which put blame on Winter as well. If she had not come he could have kept living the lie. He could have found a better way to reveal the truth in time.

Eyes as cold as ice regarded him after he asked his question. Eyes just like Weiss'. Only she had the age and experience to use them to their fullest potential. They, along with her words, sent chills down his spine. "Goodbye, Mr. Arc."

With that she began walking once more, continuing on her path to the station. She did not look back once as Jaune watched her leave, hands calmly clasped behind her back and head held high. If he had not known better he would have thought her to be part of the nobility of Remnant's past.

What had that been about? Why had she gone out of her way to simply stare him down before saying her goodbyes? Was this some sort of Schnee mind game strategy? If it was... it had worked. There was nothing quite as unsettling as staring into the cold, pale eyes of a Schnee.

Perhaps that was why he jumped when he heard the voice beside him say his name.

"Jaune."

The pitch was higher and the tone gentler, but even then his own name still sounded cold and impersonal. Jaune turned to see that Weiss had moved to stand behind him. He had not even heard her approach, being too lost in his own thoughts and nervousness about Winter.

Weiss looked as stunning as she always did, unlike himself. Her hair was neat and tied in its usual ponytail, her clothes clean and crisp. Jaune meanwhile had begun to stink of sweat and the gentle breeze along with the action of jogging had ruffled his already normally unkempt hair. It was apparently that she had been up just as long, if not longer than himself this morning. It shouldn't have surprised him. This was Weiss Schnee after all. She was perfect in everything that she did.

"You're training," she said, a hint of surprise in her tone.

Jaune swallowed, his mouth having gone dry with nervousness. Afterward he nodded softly. "Yeah."

"I see."

The fact that their exchanges were simple and terse only added to the awkwardness of the situation. Jaune didn't know what to do. He had figured that he would be the last person she would want to see this morning. However the fact that she had come over to him said otherwise.

A hand reached up to lightly scratch the back of his neck. It came back down damp with sweat. "Yup," he said, not quite knowing where to go with the conversation.

He saw a lump quickly appear before vanishing in Weiss' throat before she spoke next. "It's good to see you sticking to your routine," she told him.

Jaune was thankful that the conversation had evolved beyond one or two word sentences. He nodded in agreement to her words. "Yeah. Gotta keep getting stronger." A part of his mind told him to press on. He couldn't simply ignore the Goliath in the room. "I guess you know all about why now."

Weiss nodded in return. Much to his surprise she was not angry. Or at least she did not appear to be angry. If she was he very much doubted that she was hiding it. As Winter had told him a few days prior, there was something about him that brought out the emotion that Weiss normally hid from others. He had a certain way of getting under her skin that few others possessed.

"Indeed," she agreed. Her gaze drifted off to the side to where Winter had gone before her eyes returned to his own. "I believe we need to discuss the current situation we share as well as the future of our training exercises together."

So this was it. She was going to cut him out of her life. Jaune couldn't say that he was surprised. He as after all a liar and a cheater. Hardly someone with the pedigree and reputation that Weiss Schnee would want to associate with. After all, if the truth of his circumstances were ever made public and she were somehow fingered as an accomplice then her own reputation would be tarnished. The last thing he wanted to do was hurt her even more. The last thing he had wanted to do period was hurt someone who he had grown to consider as a friend.

"Um, sure," he said uneasily. He could hardly hide the disappointment from his voice even if he knew that everything which was about to happen was well-deserved. "You want me to go get cleaned up first?"

"No, it's fine," she said, perhaps a little too quickly. If he didn't know any better then he would say her own tone sounded just as nervous as his did. He could not imagine why.

"Oh. Okay. So... what did you want to talk about exactly?"

She shook her head softly. "Not here." Her head dipped down, eyes looking to the ground before glancing over back to Beacon's main dormitory. "There's a spot we can sit down. A garden that's usually empty even in the afternoon."

Jaune nodded. Sitting down sounded like a good idea right now. He wasn't exhausted by any means, however it usually was good to be sitting down when discussing personal matters like they were going to.

"Sure."

When her eyes looked back up to his own they did not possess the usual Schnee coldness which he had grown so used to. Despite their identical color they looked nothing like how Winter's own icy orbs had only a couple of minutes earlier. He wondered if that expression of hers was perhaps a private joke between the two that they had shared as friends. He wondered if he had lost the privilege of being on the receiving end of her cold stares and emotional outbursts. All he knew for certain was that the indifference on display here was more painful than either of the other two. Just as it had been when she had walked away from him in downtown Vale.

"Follow me."

Without wasting another moment Weiss turned and began walking back over toward Beacon Academy. Jaune followed beside her and a couple of paces behind. Right now in his mind they were not equals. They were certainly not friends. It was just as she had said. He was following her to their destination. There would be no idle chatter between the two on the way. There would be no jokes, no immature attempts to get a rise out of her. Right now there was little more than cold professionalism between the Arc and the Schnee.

His mind raced as they walked in silence. He replayed her earlier words over and over again. They were clear and concise, yet ominous and vague at the same time. She wished to discuss the future of their training together. He could interpret that in a number of different ways. A part of him wondered if she perhaps did reveal his secret to someone like Professor Goodwitch this morning, and that this was her way of informing him before he was met with the repercussions. He wouldn't put it past her giving him this sort of professional courtesy. If there was anything that Weiss was, it was professional.

He then recalled Winter's own words. He wondered if this was why the elder Schnee had gone out of her way to say goodbye to him as she herself left Beacon. The morbid final goodbye of a condemned man before the executioner's axe came down upon his neck.

Jaune shook the thoughts away. He was being overly dramatic. He was assuming the worst. In reality he had no idea what Weiss wanted to discuss other than their training. Perhaps she would simply tell him that she no longer wished to train him after everything that had happened.

He would not have to wait long, as Weiss led him into a beautiful part of Beacon which he did not recall ever visiting, much less know existed.

"Sit down," she said as she motioned to one of the simple black tables. The order sounded like anything but one with how soft her tone was.

Jaune grabbed one of the high-backed black chairs and pulled it out before taking a seat. Looking around he saw that each table had a pair of these chairs to them, and that they were all arranged in a circle around a large central fountain. Tall columns and arches gave the illusion of walls and privacy around them, but in reality the area was as open and exposed as any other in Beacon.

He placed his forearms on the table, the painted metal feeling cool against his sweaty skin. In a setting like this he did feel particularly filthy and underdressed. However he pressed onward, determined to know exactly what it was that Weiss wished to discuss with him. "So... about my training," he said uneasily.

Weiss nodded, her hands folded neatly atop the surface of the table. "Yes. I brought you here so that we may discuss the future of our exercises together in a proper environment."

Information which he already knew. Was she stalling? While her hands appeared calm the way they were neatly resting on the table, her eyes looked anything but. Jaune had learned long ago that Weiss' eyes were a window into her mind. The girl worked hard to keep her emotions in check. Winter herself had told him so. So even when she did succeed in keeping those emotions hidden from him, he could always look to her eyes to try and gauge her true intentions. Particularly when they did not meet his gaze. Weiss was always a very proper girl who looked those she spoke to in their eyes.

She had failed in doing so a number of times already today.

He didn't know why she was acting so hesitant. If she wouldn't press the issue then he would. "I'm going to assume that we're done training together, right?"

Weiss' head snapped up. "What?"

"The reason we're here," he explained. "You said you wanted to talk about our training sessions. After what happened... I can guess that you don't feel like training me anymore. Not after learning the truth."

She didn't answer immediately. Her gaze had once more shifted, this time down to her hands on the table. He wished that she would just get it over with. There was no reason for her to feel guilty.

Maybe he could help her move things along. "Look, there's no reason to keep dancing around the issue. I lied to you and you trained me under false pretenses. So I understand if you never want to-"

"No."

Jaune stopped mid-sentence as Weiss said that single word. No? No what?

Only one way to find out. "What?" he asked.

"That's not what I mean."

He frowned as he looked at her, and she looked anywhere but at him. This was getting weirder by the minute. If anything he was the one who should be nervous, not her.

"Then what do you mean?"

A sharp exhale shot through her nostrils. Her brow was creased and her expression hardened. Perhaps she as finally turning into business-mode Weiss.

"When I said that I wanted to discuss our training together it wasn't about stopping it," she told him. Her eyes finally met his once more, and now he could see the familial resemblance to Winter once more. "It's because there's something that I want to tell you."

She didn't want to stop? What lunacy was this? If not that then what was there to talk about?

"Okay," he said as his words released a breath of relief. "What did you want to tell me?"

"I'm getting to it!" she snapped suddenly. An instant later her features softened. A second later the hard edge returned once more.

"Okay. I'm sorry."

Weiss shook her head at the apology as if to say it wasn't necessary. "It's not easy, you know."

Jaune didn't know if she wanted him to comment on that. The last time he had done so resulted in a brief flash of anger from the heiress. This time he merely remained silent and waited for her to continue.

"Jaune," she began uneasily. "The reason we were training. The reason I approached you in the first place. It's not what you think."

Not what he thought? He didn't know what that could even mean. The reason for training was to get better at something. Which was what he was doing.

However if that was not the case then what was? Surely she had not approached him simply to spend more time with him. He had joked about it in the past. Even Yang had done so. The idea that she was interested in him romantically was nothing more than a joke at best and a wish at worst. They were just friends. Or at least they had been.

He had to know, however. "What do you mean?"

Weiss did not reply immediately. The delay only made him think more about the other possibility even more. Finally though, she spoke. "I hate bullies."

The answer caught Jaune off-guard. His head tilted slightly in confusion. "Come again?"

"I hate bullies," she repeated. "They impose their will on those who cannot fight back. They try and dominate your life for their own benefit. They're despicable creatures who prey on the weak."

While what she was saying wasn't untrue, Jaune wondered what it had to do with the truth about their training. "Okay. What does that have to do with me?"

Weiss sighed before speaking. "Cardin Winchester."

Jaune blinked. A light bulb went on inside his head. _That_ made sense. Finally pieces of the puzzle were starting to come together. Weiss hated bullies. Cardin was a bully. And Jaune... well, he was being bullied by Cardin.

He couldn't help a small smile from creeping onto his lips. "Wait, the reason you trained me is because of Cardin?"

The way that Weiss frowned showed that she did not share his amusement in the revelation. "Not exactly."

His smirk vanished, but the feeling of amusement did not. "What then?"

"I..." Weiss stopped herself before saying another word. A few moments of silence passed between the teens before she continued. "I made a bet with Cardin."

Amusement was replaced by intrigue. "A bet?"

"Yes," she confirmed. "I saw him... attack you one day," she said uneasily. "I commented to him about how pathetic he was. I told him that even you could defeat him with a little bit of training."

Uneasiness returned to Jaune's gut, but this time for a different reason. It wasn't about being kicked out of Beacon anymore. He didn't quite know what it was for now. All he knew was that he didn't like it.

Weiss continued without him saying a word. "I bet him that I could take someone like you and train you to beat Cardin. To prove that I was superior to him."

 _Someone like you_. He knew what that meant.

With those words all of Jaune's previous assumptions came crashing down on him. For months he had assumed that his natural Arc charm had won her over. That despite the cold front that she put up that she enjoyed spending time with him. That they had actually become friends.

So did this mean it was all a lie? That he was merely a tool being used to satisfy her own ego? That their entire friendship had been a lie?

The thought of it hurt. He had to know for certain. "So was I always just a pawn from the start?"

Weiss flinched at the words, seemingly shaken by the accusation. He didn't think he had ever seen the mask she wore break so completely. She quickly worked to repair it, however, as she spoke her next words. "What? No! I would never look at anyone in such a manner."

"That's not how it sounds to me. You said yourself that you made a bet using me so you could prove you were better than Cardin."

"No," she insisted. "I'm not like my- like that. I would never be like that."

He didn't believe the words despite the seemingly genuine anguish that had formed on her normally cold eyes.

It wasn't just being a pawn either. It was the hypocrisy of the entire situation. Jaune had felt utterly terrible for lying to Weiss. She had been angry with him because of it. He had feared for his enrollment at Beacon because of it. Now, however, she had come out to say that she had been lying to him the entire time as well? Well if she could get angry then why couldn't he do the same?

He stood up, shoving the chair back across the stone tiles with a loud screech. "I need some time to think."

She mimicked his motions, though her usual gracefulness omitted the loud noise of metal scraping against stone. "Jaune-"

He cut her off before she could say another word. "Look, I really just need some time alone right now."

Weiss' face which had been soft only moments before hardened again, the traces of regret and sorrow replaced with a familiar attitude. "Fine," she said sharply.

Both went their separate ways. He wasn't lying when he said he needed time to think. This was an all too familiar story.

 _Someone like you_. He had heard that before. His parents didn't believe in him. It was little surprise Weiss didn't believe in him either. He had been pathetic back then. However no one had ever made a bet out of his lack of skills before. No one had ever used him to win a bet like Weiss had.

Jaune's fists squeezed closed as he walked. So they wanted to make a bet? One about how well he could fight? He would show Weiss. He would show Cardin. He would show everyone just how far he had come.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** There were a few people who wondered why Neo didn't show up last chapter. The simple answer is... I didn't even think of her. It's part of the learning experience for me, and I feel something I've struggled with in this story is breaking away from certain aspects of canon. I tried doing so by focusing too much on how Winter's presence at the docks fight would have altered it. Neo didn't appear in Volume 1 since she hadn't even been thought of yet. So naturally I didn't think of her either. It's something I am going to try to get better at.

As for the question of why Jaune seemingly abandoned his friends in the middle of a combat situation last chapter, well, the fight was over. Things were taken care of already. Sorry if I didn't portray that clearly enough.

Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. As always I will try to never go too long without updating, and will always strive to do better.

Comments questions and concerns are welcome.

Thanks for reading.


	23. Chapter 23

A swing of Crocea Mors severed the head of another of the sparring droids, earning him the satisfying sound of hearing the metal automaton collapse to the floor. A sound which had been repeated time and time again over the past few days.

Jaune stood alone in one of Beacon's training rooms. He preferred it that way. He was still upset, and justifiably so. After all he had been through, after months of training and friendship, what had it all been for? A bet? A way for Weiss to prove that she's better than Cardin?

He breathed heavily as he summoned yet another of the frail metal constructs. It was getting too easy at this point. It was a testament to how much he had grown since he began. There had been a point in time when he had been knocked onto his backside by the training droids. A time where he had thrust the tip of his sword into the thing's chest and thought that it was done and over with. He had received a painful reminder that an opponent was never finished until they were on the ground and not moving. Mistakes became less commonplace after learning this lesson.

Perhaps the incident with Weiss was a similar lesson that he should learn. He had been a fool to think that she had decided to train him out of the goodness of her heart. After all, why would she? To say that they have had a rocky relationship from the start would be an understatement. He could still remember meeting her on the first day of Beacon Academy when searching for the locker room. She had been as cold and abrasive back then as humanly possible. He remembered a chance meeting between the two out in the hallways where she stomped on his feet for trying to utter some cheesy pickup line. Back then he thought that he stood a chance with a beauty like her. All he needed was confidence, right?

Wrong. It turned out that sometimes nothing you did worked. That no matter what you did, how you acted, or what you said, there was no changing some people. There was no endearing yourself to one who wanted nothing to do with you. Weiss was one of those people. A girl who had disliked him from the moment she first met him, and in the end sought only to use him to her own benefit when the opportunity presented itself.

Still, even with all that knowledge he missed her. He missed the idea of her. The idea of the friendship that they had forged together through all of the trials and difficulties. He missed the times she called him an idiot. He missed the times where he poked and prodded the girl simply to get a reaction from her. All of those private moments where she would let her guard down and show actual emotion before turning her head so that he would not see. The times where the Ice Queen melted. Where she showed weakness. Humanity.

He hated himself for feeling that way, for not being able to let go. She had helped him, despite the fact that it had all been part of some greater plan of hers. There was even a part of him which wished that he could go back and not learn the truth. That he could keep living the lie. Keep living the illusion that she actually felt something for him. It was stupid. Irrational. Childish. However right now living that lie would be easier than living with the truth.

The truth was that _he_ was weak. It was that weakness which allowed Cardin to bully him in the first place. It was that weakness that Weiss was able to use to her own benefit. It was mental weakness. Emotional weakness. Maybe after all of this training it wasn't physical anymore, but he was still weak nonetheless.

As if to emphasize the point he smashed his shield into the top half of the sparring droid, knocking its arms to the side and exposing an opening. A swift thrust with his ancestral blade earned him a shower of sparks from the machine's torso, and he followed up the strike quickly with another decapitating blow. As with the prior one, the training tool fell to the floor in a crumpled heap as Jaune released a breath.

"Damn it..." he whispered to himself. It was one of the first moves which had been drilled into him by Weiss. Utilizing his shield as an offensive weapon instead of hiding behind it. He knew he was only where he was thanks to her.

Could he still be mad if that were the case? She had helped him, after all. He _was_ physically stronger. He could help his team more effectively. He could protect those he cared about. All thanks to her. Did the ends justify the means? Could he simply say that they had mutually benefitted from the arrangement and be done with it?

No. He couldn't. That was the problem, the reason he hated himself for being so weak. The fact that even after all of this he still cared for her, that he cared for her opinion of him, that he wanted their friendship to be real. He had even let a stupid conversation with Yang convince him that maybe Weiss felt something more for him than merely friendship.

His sword lashed out at the hunks of lifeless metal on the floor and the loud clash of metal on metal rang in his ears. This was stupid. _He_ was stupid. He just wanted these feelings to go away. Feelings of loss. Of betrayal. Of hurt. They made no sense. If there was never anything between them in the first place then how could he lose something? You couldn't lose something that never existed after all. He knew that in his mind. His heart on the other hand told him differently.

Maybe he needed a change of scenery. Clearly training was doing nothing to help him. Usually physical activity was cathartic. Usually one could get their anger and aggression out of their system through sheer exhaustion. Maybe it would have worked if his training had not been so closely tied to Weiss. Maybe he could have gotten her out of his head if everything he did here didn't remind him of her.

Time spent with his team would be a fine distraction. The end of the semester was fast approaching, and he knew that many people would be heading home over the break. He wasn't sure if his teammates planned on leaving the campus or staying, but spending some more quality time with them beforehand sounded like fun. Maybe some of Nora's insanity would help cheer him up. It usually did.

The fresh air felt cooler than it actually was as he stepped outside. Skin which glistened with sweat welcomed the sensation, and Jaune could hardly wait to go take a shower and change into fresh clothes. It would be perfect if his teammates were already in their dorm when he got there.

Students both by themselves and in small groups littered the academy's campus as they enjoyed their downtime. He wondered if any of them were struggling with such ridiculous issues inside. He wondered if any of them were wearing masks to cover their true motives and emotions.

As he continued on, one of the groups in particular caught his attention. A group of four boys, all of them familiar to him. All of them in dull almost colorless attire. All but one so mundane that it only served to have the leader of them both in name and reality stand out all the more.

They were sitting around, talking and laughing about something that Jaune did not know nor care about. It was all for the best. He didn't need to get mixed up in whatever they were doing at the moment. No need to get caught up in yet another bullying incident...

Jaune stopped at the thought. Now that he thought about it, when was the last time that Cardin had actually taken some sort of action against him? It had been a while. More than just days. Weeks. Maybe even longer. Why was that?

A sickening thought entered his mind. What if Cardin had backed off from him _because_ of the bet he had made with Weiss? What if Cardin was no longer making his life difficult because he didn't want to interfere in the training process? Like Jaune was some sort of animal in nature who observers wanted to leave alone as they documented it? Like a science experiment whose results would become tainted if they were influenced by outside hands?

The idea of it all only made Jaune more angry. Normally he would be able to brush off being mocked. However right now, on top of being used, the idea of being handled like he was some sort of delicate experiment enraged him. To be thought of so little by so many people was nothing but insulting.

It wasn't the brightest of ideas. It wasn't the most logical of ones. However at this moment it was the only one he had. Jaune marched over to where Cardin and his team sat.

"Hey," he called out, his tone not at all friendly. He knew that the look on his face was not either.

Four heads looked up from what they were doing and turned in his direction. Looks of amusement slowly fell from their faces to turn to indifference at best or mild disdain at worst. Well, all except one of them.

"Jaune!" Cardin greeted with a faux warm welcome. Jaune knew better than to actually believe that the larger boy would be happy to see him. "What brings you over here?"

 _You know damn well what brings me over here,_ is what he wanted to say. However he did not want to cause a scene. "I heard something from Weiss the other day."

The smug smile on Cardin's lips did not waver at Jaune's words. "Oh?" he asked interestedly. "What was that?"

The innocent act was annoying, but Jaune pressed on regardless. "I heard about a little bet you made with her," he explained. "About training me."

"Oh yeah, that." A moment later the small smile did actually fall from his face before he continued. "Wait, you're only just now finding out about it?"

It was not the reaction Jaune had been expecting. "What?"

"You seriously didn't know about it?" Cardin continued. "I mean... what did you think all the training was for? Why did you think she was spending so much time with you?"

Jaune didn't want to answer that. He didn't want to tell anyone what he truly thought. The idea that Weiss Schnee would want to spend time with him without some sort of motive or agenda was a laughable one. If he were to tell that to Cardin of all people he knew what the boy's reaction would be.

"Forget it," Jaune chose to say instead. "Mind at least telling me what the stakes are? What do you get if you win?"

Cardin shrugged at the question. "Honestly? Nothing. It wasn't even me who challenged her. She came to me."

Nothing? This bet between Cardin and Weiss wasn't even for anything other than pride? Jaune didn't know what to think about that. He didn't know if it was better or worse.

Jaune was shaken from his thoughts when Cardin laughed. "Still though, I can't believe she didn't bother telling you about it. I knew she was cold, but damn, that's really cold. You poor guy."

The words made Jaune bristle. What did Cardin know about her anyway? Who was he to call her cold? Cardin didn't know a thing about her. Cardin had never seen Weiss outside of class like he had. He'd seen her smile. He'd seen the effort she went to in order to buy clothes for him.

He shook his head at the emotions which threatened to cloud his judgment. His weakness was popping up again. He would not let that alter his plan. "So you still want to fight me?"

Again Cardin shrugged. "I mean, sure," he said casually. "A bet's a bet, right? Not that I can force you to fight or anything. It's just all this time I figured you were on board with it since you didn't say anything about it."

He was right. This was a bet between Cardin and Weiss after all. It all hinged on Jaune's willingness to fight. He wondered how that would have even happened if Weiss had never confessed to him. Would she have somehow manipulated a situation where the two of them would face off against one another? Or would she have eventually told him the truth on her own?

It didn't matter now. Jaune was going to do this on his own terms, not Weiss'. He was going to prove his strength. He was going to show now just her, and not just Cardin, but the whole world how much he had grown and how far he had come.

"Yeah, I still wanna fight you."

"Great. I gave Weiss until the end of the semester-"

He never had a chance to finish before Jaune cut him off. "Right now."

The look of surprise on Cardin's face hadn't lasted more than a moment, but it was enough to convince Jaune that he had made the right decision. The larger boy composed himself before responding. "Now?"

"Now."

Cardin frowned. "You sure about that, Jauney-boy? You still have another week or so before the deadline."

 _Screw the deadline._ "This isn't about the bet anymore," Jaune told him. "This is about you and me. If you want to count it as the bet, do it. I don't care. But I'm doing this for myself, not Weiss."

Cardin didn't look nervous. He didn't look scared. Why should he be? The only time they had ever fought in a sanctioned match Cardin wiped the floor with him. After that had come the bullying where Jaune knew that even if he had stood up for himself that he would not be able to win a fight.

However, that had been months ago. Since then he had been taught by one of the most talented students in the school. He had taught himself thanks to the aid of that book about the Atlesian Fencing School. He had devoted his free time to self-improvement. He had worked his body to exhaustion. He had even changed his diet. Cardin Winchester was not facing the same boy he had all those months ago.

The large boy stood up, and upon doing so only served as a reminder to Jaune about just how imposing he was. "Hey, who am I to turn down a challenge?" he asked. He turned back to his teammates. "But don't let anyone say that I didn't give Jaune here a chance to back down."

There were a few chuckles and murmurs of agreement. Jaune ignored them.

"Sparring room number one," he said as he pointed back toward the way he had come. "I was just in there so it should still be empty."

Cardin followed his hand to the building before looking back to Jaune. "If you're serious about it, I'm game."

Jaune nodded. There was no turning back now. He would end this all today in one fell swoop. He would prove his strength to everyone. He would prove it to himself. Perhaps most important he would be done with this issue with Weiss and be able to move on with his life.

"I'm gonna go grab my gear from the lockers," Cardin continued. "Don't chicken out on me now. I'll be disappointed if you're not waiting when I get there."

Jaune's eyes hardened at the words. "I'll be there." He wouldn't miss this for the world.

Cardin nodded this time before turning and heading back to the main building, his team following close behind.

Jaune walked the opposite way back in the direction he had come from. His palms were sweaty. His face was warm. His heart was thumping inside of his chest. This was it. What everything he had done up to this point had been for. He would defeat Cardin. Not for glory. Not for revenge. Not for Weiss.

For himself.

* * *

Weiss tapped her pen rhythmically against the textbook opened across her desk. A peaceful silence permeated the room. No Ruby. No Yang. No Blake. Just her and her studying. Just her and her thoughts.

The pen tapped harder.

History had always been a dull subject for her. She did not have an appreciation for military history like Winter did. It wasn't that she couldn't understand the importance of history, but she found it to be so mind-numbing. Names and dates and locations were all so tedious. They all blended together. However she knew that she needed to learn them in order to pass her class. She was used to such perfection. She was used to being forced into doing things she had no interest in. Things she did not want to do. Compared to life in Atlas this was easy. She should not be complaining.

Final exams were coming up and she needed to be ready. That meant studying like her life was on the line. In a way it was. Should she perform poorly at Beacon her father might consider it as an excuse to pull her back to Atlas where a "familiar and nurturing" environment would aid her in her studies. She could never let that happen. Not when she was finally free.

Her tired, heavy eyes drifted back over to the page where she had left off. It was a lesson from early on in the semester during the first month. The Faunus War. A war which had led to the rise of the White Fang. She had not known it at the time, but the war and its outcome turned out to have a far more personal impact on her than she ever would have expected. She had never expected to share a room with a former terrorist.

She was not friends with Blake. Not yet at least. She was trying, however. A life of living in fear did not go away in an instant. A learned prejudice did not disappear simply because you wanted it to. Weiss was making every attempt to look at Blake not as a former terrorist, not as a faunus, but as just another person. As a teammate. As a friend. She knew that Blake was doing the same in regards to her own Schnee heritage. Both girls knew that they could not judge one another on the actions of others. It would be a long road, but one that they knew must be travelled. One that they would navigate together.

The tip of her pen ran along the massive, blurry paragraphs of text as she muttered to herself. "...third year of the war that General Lagune, under pressure from the council of Vale, decided to bring the faunus forces to battle in order to deliver a decisive blow."

She thought that perhaps reading the words aloud would help them sink in. She was alone after all. No one would judge her here. It wasn't just that the subject was boring. Her eyes were sore from reading. She had been at it all day. However she knew that she could not give up. She had to ace this exam. All of them. She had to prove to her father that she belonged here.

Weiss covered her yawning mouth with a free hand before continuing. "The site chosen for the battle was to be the heavily defended Fort Castle, where significant numbers of the faunus troops had been stationed."

She stopped there as her mind began to drift again. Back to one of Dr. Oobleck's classes from months ago. One where they had discussed the Battle of Fort Castle. Where they had discussed Jaune's ancestor and his role in the battle.

Jaune. Stupid Jaune. Idiot Jaune.

He was upset with her. Even if he had not said as much she could tell. Since her confession he had avoided her. He had not even glanced at her in the classes they shared together. Training was certainly out of the question.

He had said that he needed time to think. His words at the time had been forceful, so they had left it at that. She would give him his time to think. She was used to giving those who were angry their space. It was something she had learned long ago with her father. Whenever he was angry she would vanish. Winter and Whitley too. Their mother especially, lost in the garden and lost in her drink. No one wanted to be on the receiving end of a furious Jacques Schnee.

Weiss closed her eyes. She was not comparing Jaune to her father. The boy was far too kind and gentle to ever deserve such a comparison. She knew that he would calm down in time. Then they would be able to speak about the subject which had caused the problem like two civilized adults.

Weiss didn't feel like reading about Fort Castle anymore. She had studied enough history for the day. A well-rounded student was a successful one. With that in mind she shut one textbook before grabbing another. Grimm anatomy would be a nice change of pace. Studying for Professor Port's exam would take her mind off of Jaune.

This was something Weiss could get behind more readily. Learning about Grimm anatomy would be crucial to her success in the field. Knowing the weak points of your enemy could save your life. As such it was vital and necessary to know the ins and outs of all the Grimm she may encounter while out performing her duties as a huntress.

She flipped the pages until she reached the section focusing on the Grimm themselves. The known types of Grimm were listed in alphabetical order, starting with Beowolf. A familiar foe, but it never hurt to know too much about that foe.

"Although individually weak in comparison to other types of Grimm, Beowolves are known to travel in packs, usually consisting between eight and twelve creatures," she read to herself. "By traveling in numbers the Grimm are able to compensate for their weakness by surrounding and swarming their prey. They are almost always led by what is known as a Beowolf Alpha, a creature of Grimm that has survived long enough to become a particularly dangerous, and according to some, more intelligent version of the regular Beowolf."

Memories of a forest flashed in Weiss' mind. Memories of a Beowolf pack. Of an Alpha. A battle. A wounded boy.

A breath shot from her nose as she set her pen down. She remembered her field trip to the Emerald Forest. How she had dragged Jaune along despite his protests of not being ready. She hadn't known the truth about him at the time, but now she understood. She knew why he hadn't wanted to go. Why he said he hadn't been ready.

She felt sick.

She had nearly dragged the boy to his death. Of course she had felt guilt after he had been bloodied by the creatures. After his clothes had been ruined. She had even gone out to purchase new clothes for him. However now that she knew everything she could not help but feel disgusted by her actions. She had not cared at all about what he felt about the trip. She had only cared about training him so that she could win her bet.

A bet that was all but over now that he knew about it.

Weiss slammed the book shut in anger. She didn't want to study stupid Grimm right now either. Especially not Beowolves. Stupid Beowolves which had attacked her and Jaune. Beowolves which had nearly killed them. All because of her.

Why did she have to be reminded of him? More importantly, why did she have to be reminded of what she had done to him? She wanted this to be over. She wanted to speak with him and clear the air. She wanted to forgive him for lying to her. She wanted him to forgive her for lying to him. She wanted things to go back to normal.

Normal. What was normal anymore? She had been seeing him on a daily basis for almost the entire semester. At this point having Jaune in her life _was_ normal. How had it even come to that? How was that stupid, annoying, insufferable boy such an important part of her life?

It didn't matter right now. All she wanted was a distraction. Her head turned to the door and silently willed for Ruby to come barging through screaming something about free ice cream in the cafeteria or some such nonsense. That would be a welcome distraction from what she was feeling right now.

An instant later her face was buried down in her hands. "What has become of my life when I wish for more Ruby in it?" she asked herself.

It wasn't that she hated Ruby. Far from it in fact. The two had grown close over the months. Weiss was happy that she was able to call the girl her friend, even if she would not admit it out loud. After all, admitting such a thing to Ruby would most likely cause her to spontaneously combust out of sheer joy and leave her without a teammate. Weiss was not about to be responsible for the death of her own partner and Yang's sister. Ruby would not be the only girl burned alive if such a thing were to happen.

Her wish was not granted, and Ruby did not come in.

With a frustrated growl Weiss stood up and began to pace. It wasn't a very large room, but luckily she didn't have particularly long legs. Still, she could only imagine how comical it would have looked to an outsider to see her pace around such a small area. It was good that no one was here. No Ruby running in to tell her about some ridiculous school-wide bake sale. As if the girl even needed more sugar in her life. How was it that a girl her size could even-

The door opening snapped Weiss' head up and drew her attention to the noise. To her surprise it was not Ruby who stepped through, but rather her sister.

Weiss stood as still as a statue, staring at the new arrival without uttering a single word. Yang returned the look, a quizzical expression forming on her face as she closed the door behind her.

For a few seconds neither spoke, but Yang soon broke the silence. "You alright, Weiss?"

The heiress shook her head lightly in an attempt to clear the mess of thoughts from her mind. "I'm fine, thank you."

Yang nodded slightly in a way that screamed that she didn't believe those words. "Uh huh," she said, all but confirming that suspicion. "You sure about that? I feel more comfortable with the way guys at the club stare at me compared to what you were just doing."

Icy eyes narrowed at the words. "What are you trying to imply?"

A knowing smirk and a pair of raised eyebrows said more than her words ever could. "Nothing at all. What are _you_ implying that I'm implying?"

"Forget it," Weiss said with the wave of a hand. "What are you doing back here? Shouldn't you be off with Ruby finding some sort of trouble to get in?"

"Nah. Shouldn't you be off training with Jaune instead of pacing around our room?"

Eyes narrowed once more. So Yang had seen her. She might have normally been embarrassed. However it was the other part of the question which had earned her attention.

Why would Yang just _assume_ she would be with Jaune? It wasn't as if the two were attached at the hip or anything. Knowing Yang she would probably make some sort of stupid joke about them and their relationship with one another.

"No," she said defensively. "Besides, we used to train in the morning."

Yang's face lit up with the answer. Weiss knew that was bad. A happy Yang usually resulted in the misery of others. "Aw, that's so cute," she cooed. "You two have a scheduled date time. How adorable."

A date. It reminded her of something that Ruby had once said to her several weeks ago. Another time where she had been teased for her closeness with Jaune.

"Shut up," Weiss snapped. "I see that I may have been too hard on Ruby all this time. It turns out I have you to blame for her learning all of those annoying habits."

"Eh. What are big sisters for?"

Weiss' mind went to Winter, imagining her doing the types of things that Yang did. It must have been colder in the room than she thought, for she brought her hands up to her arms and shivered. "I don't know. However I can't help but feel you're doing it wrong."

"Whatever you say," the blonde said dismissively. It was annoying how the girl seemed to just be able to let an insult roll off of her back without a second thought. "But really, shouldn't you be out doing something instead of going all cabin fever here in our dorm?"

"Our studies are important."

"They are," Yang agreed. Weiss was certain she had only said that in order to keep the flow of the conversation going rather than actually agreeing with the statement. "But haven't you ever heard the saying that all work and no play makes Weiss a dull girl?"

Weiss glared at her. If the room hadn't been cold before then it certainly was now.

The chilly expression only made Yang smile more. "Not that I'm saying you're a dull girl or anything," she quickly backpedalled. "Obviously you're doing something right if you've been able to make so many friends here at Beacon. Right?"

Had she? There was Ruby for sure. After all of the trouble and effort her leader went through it would have been difficult to not have wound up as her friend. Being the girl's sister, Yang naturally came as part of the package. Blake was getting there. She had had a certain level of fondness and respect for the girl prior to learning of her White Fang past. She was sure that in time those feelings would return.

She could even say she was close with some people who weren't even on her team. Ren and Nora offered their own unique brand of insanity, more from that latter than the former of course. She got along well with _the_ Pyrrha Nikos. How they were able to share horror stories about their more... enthusiastic fans was fun. Then when she had been in Vale she had even managed to befriend that strange Penny girl, much to her chagrin.

Then there was Jaune. Where did that leave him? Prior to their fight she would have considered him to be a friend, had someone asked. Not that she would have admitted it openly, but privately she would have. Now though? She didn't know anymore. Had their secrets tested the limits of their relationship too much?

 _And not a relationship like that,_ she mentally added. _Stupid Winter. Stupid Ruby. Stupid Jaune._

The fact was that she had made more friends here in a few short months than she ever had back in Atlas. Here at Beacon people didn't care who she was. They didn't care about dust, wealth or fame. They didn't care about her family name. They only cared about Weiss.

Jaune was one of those people.

Yang must have noticed a change in her demeanor, for her own face fell before speaking again. "Are you sick or something, Weiss?"

The heiress shook off her thoughts once more and focused back on Yang. "No. I feel fine."

"If you say so..." the blonde said hesitantly. "It's just that it looks like your mind keeps drifting off. It's not like you."

How annoying. She knew that Yang was correct too. She hated when that happened. However she did not hate it nearly as much as the fact that she could not even maintain control of her own thoughts.

"Perhaps I do need some fresh air," she admitted. "I've been in here studying all day. The air must be warm and stale, and those conditions are bad for retaining information."

"Sure. Let's go with that."

An uncomfortable silence fell over the room. Weiss wanted to flee from it, to leave Yang alone here, but doing so would be to admit weakness. To admit that the conversation had gotten to her. That could not be allowed to happen. For as much as she hated living in the shadow of her family name, she could not help but cave to its power. She was still a Schnee, an Schnees did not run. They stood their ground and defeated whatever it was that came at them.

"Weiss," Yang said.

She didn't like the way Yang had said her name. It had that certain older sister quality she had heard so many times before from Winter. Something which Yang had probably perfected on her own younger sister. Still, she would not run. _Bring it on, blondie._

"Before. You said 'used to'."

The heiress swallowed. _Stand firm. Stand your ground._

"What did you mean by that?"

Weiss spun to face her teammate who sat upon Blake's bed. "Why do you care?"

The words were familiar to her. Weiss recalled saying them to Yang back when the semester had first begun. Back when Ruby was still on a mission to gain her friendship. She recalled how she had cracked then. How she had been forced to flee the room lest Yang see her tears.

However this time Yang's response was different. "I'm just nosy," she admitted readily.

"How big of you to admit that."

The soft chuckle from Yang said that she was not offended by the intended slight. She rarely was. Only when it came to her sister really. Her, and once more recently Blake.

"You two still haven't made up?"

Weiss glared down at her, a rare feat made possible only when she was standing and Yang was not. "Excuse me?"

The blonde girl shrugged. "Back when we were looking for Blake," she explained. "When we met up with Jaune he said that you two had gotten into a little fight. About him being in Beacon and all that."

So Yang knew. That meant Ruby knew as well. She could only imagine the immature sisterly gossip that the two shared when no one else was around. How uncouth. She and Winter would never partake in such nonsense.

How she wished they could.

"What of it?" Weiss asked pointedly.

"Well I mean, it's been days now," Yang continued. "Haven't you both suffered long enough?"

"Excuse me, but what makes you think that _I'm_ the one responsible for prolonging this fight?"

Yang merely stared at her. For long seconds she said nothing. Like nothing needed to be said.

Weiss' eyes bored holes into her. She knew what the girl was saying even without saying a word. "Well for your information it's not my fault."

The other girl's head tilted slightly in interest. "Oh?"

Nosy was right. She wouldn't be Yang Xiao Long if she wasn't annoyingly sticking that nose of hers into places it didn't belong.

"That's right," the heiress confirmed. "I was going to apologize for the way I reacted to him before we had another fight."

Palm met face as Yang fell backwards onto her partner's bed. An audible groan came soon after.

Weiss felt her muscles tense in anger. She knew what Yang was thinking. She probably thought that this second argument had been her fault as well. That it was just Weiss being her typical cold and abrasive self. The girl who would not give an inch in an argument.

"It wasn't my fault!" Weiss insisted. Another groan came from the blonde as she continued to lie there. "I mean," she continued, voice softening as she spoke. "I didn't mean for it to be."

Yang sat back up, her face devoid of its former traces of humor and incredulity. "You wanna talk about it?"

 _No. Yes. I don't know._ She looked away from the other girl after she asked the question. Weiss' mind raged with inner turmoil. It was stupid. All she wanted to do was tell her side of the story to Jaune. To hear his. To get past this. He was angry with her. He had every right to be especially after how she had reacted to his secret. She just wished that he knew that she didn't think of him as a tool. As a means to an end.

 _So was I always just a pawn from the start?_

The words still gnawed at her. They cut deeper than any blade ever could have, and Jaune hadn't even realized it when he uttered them. She was not her father. She did not use people. She did not view them as pawns.

"You wouldn't feel like this if you didn't care."

Weiss looked up at the words, seeing Yang still focused on her. "And how do you know how I feel?"

"Your face says it all."

She turned away again. Her carefully honed and maintained mask seemed to fall apart far too frequently when it came to that boy. She hated it. She hated him for it. He made her weak. They all did. Jaune. Ruby. Yang. Blake. All of them were responsible for her losing control of her emotions. Life was so much simpler when she had been alone. So much easier.

So much worse.

She swallowed her pride as she moved to sit down next to Yang. They remained there for long moments as Weiss stared down at the floor. She could not see where Yang was looking.

"Where do I start?" Weiss asked.

Yang shrugged. "Where do you wanna start?"

She didn't know. She truly didn't. However she knew what she felt at the moment. "I didn't mean to hurt him." She shook her head sadly. "He wasn't a pawn."

"How did you hurt him?"

However before Weiss could answer the door flung open again. This time it was a blur of red and black. Too little too late. For all of her speed she had turned up annoyingly late today.

"You guys!" Ruby all but screamed as she ran inside the room. "Jaune's fighting a duel!"

"He's what?" Yang asked.

"Yeah! It's against Cardin over in one of the training buildings! Let's go and cheer him on!"

Weiss' blood ran cold.

* * *

Their scrolls were synced. It would be a standard practice match just like in Ms. Goodwitch's class. Once their Auras got down into the red it would all be over.

The sound of rasping steel filled his ears as Jaune tore Crocea Mors from its sheath. Its blue leather handle felt far more comfortable in his fingers since the last time he had done this. The last time he had stood across an arena from Cardin Winchester.

"You know you still have time to change your mind," the boy opposite him said. "There's barely anyone else here. No one would even know you backed down."

He was right. Other than Cardin's teammates there was barely anyone else present. An odd student here and there, most likely waiting for their own turn to use the facilities. Or maybe they had just come to see the spectacle of a spar outside of Glynda's class. Jaune didn't know their motives, nor did he care.

Jaune's heater shield expanded as he looked back to the other boy. "It's fine, Cardin." There wasn't a trace of reassurance in his voice, however.

He wanted this. Petty words like those wouldn't make him back down. He was committed to this path. He would see it through.

Cardin hefted that massive mace of his, bringing it to rest across his shoulders as he stood. "If you say so."

The stage was set and the players were ready. All that was left was to move.

Jaune was in position without having to look down. His feet were shoulder length apart. Knees were slightly bent. The shield which he had once hidden behind was up chest level so that the top half of his face could see over its edge. Months of drilling had made it second nature to him.

Months of instruction from his teacher.

 _Not now!_ his mind snarled. He had to focus on the here and now. This was for himself. Not for Weiss.

As he edged closer to Cardin he saw how the boy finally took the mace off of his shoulders. He wasn't taking this seriously. That arrogance would cost him dearly. Jaune was determined to make it so.

 _He's bigger than you,_ Jaune thought. _Stronger. Strength is not your strength._

He bounced on the tips of his feet as he advanced, staying in constant motion. Cardin remained mostly stationary. He probably expected things to happen the way they had before.

Jaune lashed out with a stabbing motion only to pull back at the last moment. Cardin responded to the feint by swinging his heavy mace in a downward motion. He expected Jaune to raise his shield as he had in their first fight. However this was not their first fight.

The smaller boy rolled to his left, quickly getting up and swinging his blade around with the momentum of his movement. Crocea Mors found its target as it tore into the exposed black fabric that Cardin wore under his breastplate. A satisfying grunt sounded from the boy's lips at the contact as he stumbled forward a step.

Jaune fell back into his fighting stance once more, bringing his shield up and sword at the ready. He knew that Cardin still had plenty of strength left in him and that he would not be able to take advantage of his early hit. He had to play it safe. Play it smart.

"Not bad," Cardin said as he cracked his neck. Jaune couldn't help but feel it was merely for visual effect. "You've already done better than the first time."

 _Damn right,_ Jaune wanted to say. However he knew better than to celebrate early in a fight.

"But now that you've gotten your feel good hit in I think it's time to end this."

Cardin stalked towards the blonde, mace raised and ready to strike once more.

It was a large weapon. A heavy weapon. One that required great strength to wield, and as a result would be incredibly painful if it connected. Only if it connected, however.

Once committed to a swing there was little that could be done to stop that momentum. Cardin's strength would mean nothing if he hit nothing but air.

It was exactly what he did.

Jaune spun out of the way of the next swing, using his speed and smaller size to his advantage as Cardin's mace crashed into the floor where Jaune had once been. Another slashing strike connected with Cardin, this time on his extended weapon arm. More sounds flew from the boy's lips as he muttered several curses in quick succession.

In a flash the larger boy swung again with surprising speed. Jaune was caught off-guard, and this time was forced to raise his shield in order to protect himself. The bones in his arm rattled with the impact, and Jaune knew that he had made a mistake. He couldn't match Cardin blow for blow. He couldn't sit there and take a beating as he once had.

Rolling out of the way of another attack, Jaune knew he could not underestimate the speed which Cardin possessed. The larger boy was still slower than himself, but someone his size should not have been so quick. Especially not in that heavy breastplate.

 _Stay calm,_ he ordered himself. _Stay focused. Wear him out. You're still faster than him. You can do this._

Another swing and another miss was the result in the next of Cardin's attacks. Then another. And another. Time after time Cardin attempted to end the spar in one fell swoop only to come up empty. There was a growing frustration forming on the boys face each time his efforts resulted in nothing.

"Stand still!" he shouted in mid-swing.

Jaune responded in action rather than in words. Another over-extension from Cardin had left his arm out of position to defend himself. Only this time Jaune had dodged inside of Cardin's guard where he would not be able to swing and hit him again as he had before. Jaune's own sword arm was out of position as well, however that was not his only weapon.

The result was shield meeting face as Jaune thrust upwards with the white defensive device. The impact of steel smashing into flesh sounded in his ears, and it was one of the most satisfying sounds he had ever heard. Weiss would have been proud had she seen it.

He shook his head to clear the thought once more. He couldn't afford to make a mistake. Not now. Not when he had Cardin on the ropes.

* * *

Why? Why was he doing this?

Weiss strode forward with a sense of purpose, her tiny legs carrying her far quicker than most people would have expected her capable of. So fast that she threatened to leave Ruby and Yang in her dust.

Her partner called out her name as she picked up her own pace as well. "Weiss!" she said as she rushed to walk beside her. "What's going on? You're acting like this thing is a matter of life or death."

It wasn't. Ruby was right about that. However it almost felt as if it was. What happened in that arena could mean the life or death of her friendship with Jaune.

She didn't respond as she shoved through the doors of the training complex. Almost instantly the sights and sounds of battle assaulted her senses. There, down in front of the rows of almost entirely vacant seating, stood the two boys who had helped to shape her time here at Beacon.

Jaune wore his typical attire, a light white breastplate over the hoodie which she had mended for him. His blue jeans were fresh and intact, a different pair from those which had suffered destruction at the claws of the Beowolves. For all intents and purposes he was the same Jaune as he always was. Only he wasn't.

She saw how Jaune rolled aside from a crushing blow from Cardin's mace. A blow which only a few months earlier he would have taken squarely on the surface of his shield. One which would have shaken his body and slowly drained his Aura. Not this time, however.

He was fluid. He was constantly in motion. He did not sit there and hide behind his shield. Weiss saw how his weight was focused on his toes, ready to move at a moment's notice. Like a spring ready to uncoil. She found herself silently willing him on. _Yes, Jaune. Just like we practiced._

Jaune ducked another swing to get inside Cardin's guard and smash his shield into the other boy's chin. If it hurt at all Cardin showed no signs of it, and with a snarl chased the smaller boy away with another wild swing of his mace. It was almost like the opposite of the first time she had seen the two fight. Before it had been Jaune who had gotten emotional. Jaune had been the one to lash out in anger. To let that anger get the better of him and lead him into making stupid decisions.

Now however it was Jaune who had taken the lead. He was the one forcing Cardin off-balance. Jaune refused to meet him head to head, always doing his best to avoid the strikes which Cardin brought down upon him. On occasion he would have to deflect a blow with his shield, but it never made solid contact. She had taught him the difference between blocking and deflecting, and he was making full use of those lessons.

"Fight me!" she heard Cardin yell.

Weiss gripped down upon the back of the seat she hadn't even realized she was leaning on. Her head shook at those words. _Don't fight him, Jaune. Not on his terms._

"I don't get it," Ruby said from beside her. "Jaune's barely even attacking at all. He can't win if he doesn't get Cardin's Aura into the red."

The heiress bit down on her lip as her eyes remained glued onto the fight below. "He can't win the match if he fights like Cardin," she explained. It was another lesson she had taught Jaune long ago. "So he's not."

"Then what's he supposed to do?"

"He's trying to wear Cardin out," Yang chimed in. A glance over to the blonde girl revealed that she was staring intently at the fight as well. "Classic boxing strategy. Get your opponent tired before you move in for the kill."

Weiss nodded a wordless confirmation. It figured that the girl who was known for punching things would be familiar with that strategy. Yang had probably studied it at an early age once she learned that her fists were her main strength.

Ruby didn't seem satisfied with the explanation. "Yeah but Jaune isn't a boxer. What if he messes up?"

"Then he's in for a world of hurt."

As if on cue that's exactly what happened. Maybe it was a misstep, or maybe it was him becoming a little overly confident, but Jaune moved too close to his opponent. The large mace of Cardin was able to sweep Jaune's shield aside in a savage sideways blow. The force of the strike sent Jaune sprawling down onto the ground where he moved hurriedly to get back up. It was just in time, as the follow up swing which connected with the floor hit with enough power to send shards of concrete flying up into the air.

"Come on Jaune," Weiss whispered. "You can do it. Remember our training."

Cardin came at him again with another swing and miss. Then another. A third in quick succession. A scowl and a grunt of frustration came in place of the fourth. Cardin was very clearly angry about not just how Jaune refused to fight on his terms, but that the bout wasn't nearly as easy as he thought it would be.

"Stop dodging you coward!" the larger boy shouted.

He did so, but only for a splint-second. Jaune swung up with his sword with the intent of slicing from groin to stomach. The strike was easily countered by Cardin's mace, but by forcing him to lower his weapon left the boy's head and chest exposed. Jaune punished the boy by delivering a second savage attack with his shield, this time leading the edge.

The sound of the hit and Cardin's resulting scream made Weiss wince, but the detail was quickly pushed out of her mind with the familiarity of the strike. _The under hew was only a feint. The real attack was with the shield._ She could feel a pounding in her chest knowing that their lessons together had been taken to heart. _I can't believe that idiot actually listened. I can't believe he-_

Weiss' thoughts were interrupted by the explosion which filled the ears of everyone in the room. Her eyes widened in shock as she saw Jaune flung away from Cardin to land uncontrolled on his back.

Cardin's mace had exploded. What... how? Was that dust? Since when did Cardin's mace have dust in it? They hadn't trained for this. Jaune hadn't known about this.

The smoking crater left in the floor told her that Jaune hadn't actually been hit by the attack, but the resulting explosion and shockwaves still had enough force to hurl him through the air.

"Playtime's over now, Jaune!" Cardin yelled as he strode forward.

Jaune was slow to get up as Cardin marched over to him. The larger boy was bruised and dirty, but still very much in the fight.

All the blonde boy could do was raise his shield just in time as the mace rained down on it. The hits were cruel and lacked any sort of grace or finesse, and the sound of steel clashing with steel rang in Weiss' ears with every blow.

Her knuckles were as white as her hair as she gripped the back of the seat in front of her. _Get up, Jaune,_ her mind screamed. _Get up. Get up!_

He finally rolled out of the way, but not before taking an unprotected blow as he did so. The boy's constitution was immense, for someone with a lesser Aura would have been stunned or perhaps even knocked out of the fight from taking it. It was something she had figured out long ago that Winter had only confirmed. The boy's Aura was massive.

Massive as it was, it wasn't invincible. _Jaune_ wasn't invincible. A look at the meters above the arena showed that both of the boys were nearing the red. Each combatant was perhaps one or two hits away from defeat.

Weiss' nerves were on edge. Her heart threatened to burst from her chest. _Come on, Jaune. Do it. I believe in you._

It wasn't even about the bet anymore. She doubted that it was even still in effect at this point. She wanted him to win not for her, but for himself. So everything that they had went through together wouldn't be for nothing.

The two combatants separated to collect themselves and prepare for their next moves. It was painfully obvious for all to see what they had been reduced to. Cardin was exhausted. His breathing was heavy, a result of the many attacks he had made which had gained him nothing in the end. Jaune on the other hand looked more composed, but Weiss knew that he had to be almost as spent as Cardin if their Auras were anything to go by.

With the brief reprieve in the action both boys looked up. She knew that they were checking the statuses of their Aura. They now knew what everyone else did. The end was near.

They circled each other once more, each boy more cautious now than Weiss had seen since she had arrived. There was no room for error. The first to land a blow would win.

Jaune went first. With a feint he attempted to probe Cardin's defenses, but the other boy read the attack and did not commit. Cardin could not risk returning the favor, for once he committed his mace to an action he could do nothing to stop its motion.

Another feint. Another lack of a reaction. Weiss wondered if it wasn't out of combat strategy, and more that Cardin was simply too tired to react. It wasn't like the hulking brute to analyze the flow of a fight and react accordingly. It was why she was so sure that she could train Jaune to defeat him.

Perhaps Jaune saw it as well. Perhaps that was why he finally decided to attack. For real this time. The sword moved like it was made of quicksilver, the lighting from above dancing on it to create a bright and brilliant gleam. He was going for it. Jaune was going for the kill.

Cardin saw this and reacted as well. His heavy flanged mace was coming down upon Jaune. Time seemed to slow down for Weiss as it was happening. She saw everything. All that was and all that would be. Jaune was going to hit first. He was going to win.

Even if Cardin wasn't tired, Jaune was still faster. Corcea Mors was lighter. Jaune had seized the initiative to strike first. After testing out Cardin's reflexes and defense he had found an opening to his liking. He was taking it.

Weiss held her breath without realizing it. Her nails were dug deep enough into the seat before her to leave marks. _You have it, Jaune. You have it._

A foot away. Half a foot. An inch. Then the world exploded.

The dust and the smoke in the air made the battlefield a murky mess to try and see through. Seconds felt like an eternity as Weiss sought to see through the haze. Soon enough she saw everything.

Her stomach fell at the sight of Jaune on his back once again.

It was over. It was all over. Looking up to the scoreboard she saw that Jaune's Aura had reached red. Cardin's was a mere sliver away.

Weiss' head fell forward. So close. It had been so close. In the end however he had lost. It didn't matter that it had been by so slim a margin. A loss was a loss.

Her world went silent. If Ruby or Yang were saying anything beside her she could not hear them. If there were cheers from below they fell upon her deaf ears. Right now the only thing she could perceive was her failure.

It was the dust. Cardin's mace had dust in its head, and he had detonated it in front of Jaune knowing that the blonde was going to get the first hit. With an explosion like that the weapon didn't even need to connect with Jaune. The fire dust would be enough at such a short distance. All he had needed was enough damage to lower Jaune's Aura into the red zone. It had been enough.

Finally Weiss looked up. She had expected to see Cardin celebrating, to see him jeer and taunt his opponent. However to her surprise he was still out of breath. He had fallen down to a single knee, the head of his mace planted on the floor to help keep him upright. Several meters away she saw Jaune remain lying there on his back unmoving. The steady movement of his chest told her that he was alright. Physically at least.

A second surprise came in as many moments. After pushing himself to his feet Cardin walked slowly over to where Jaune lay. For a few tense seconds he stood over the boy, his mouth moving, but Weiss unable to make out the softly spoken words. However actions spoke louder than any words ever could have, and to her shock she saw Cardin reach out to Jaune with an extended arm. The blonde boy looked up at it as if he was trying to decide if it was some sort of trick. Finally though he accepted it, and Cardin pulled him to his feet. More words were exchanged. More words she did not hear.

Was this what happened when one stood up to a bully? Was that how it ended? Once they realized that you were not the victim anymore would they get bored and move on to someone else? Or was this some sort of mutual respect between boys after a fight? Weiss didn't know. She wasn't a boy. She had never had the courage to stand up to her own bully either.

Cardin walked off shortly after, joined by his teammates. The handful of other spectators did the same. The match was over, and none of them had any kind of vested interest in the combatants. Especially not the loser.

Weiss did, however. She turned to the two sisters to speak for the first time in what felt like an eternity. "Could you give us a few minutes?"

Yang nodded grimly. "Yeah. Sure." Ruby looked back and forth between her partner and her sister a few times, confusion evident on her face. It didn't take long for Yang to take control. "Come on, Ruby. Let's go."

She was glad that they were gone. She knew that she couldn't do this with others present. Especially not with those who knew her. Her friends.

Weiss descended the aisle stairs in the spectator's seats with no real plan in mind. She knew that she couldn't just leave him though. Not after everything he had just been through. Not when it was all her fault.

As she approached she saw how he leaned up against one of the walls before sliding down to the floor. With how filthy his attire was she knew he didn't take the conditions of the battle arena into consideration like she would have. Then again it was a lot easier to see the dirt on her pale blue and white skirt. It was strange how she was still able to think of such things at a time like this.

Jaune's head was hung low as she neared. He didn't look up when he spoke. "I'm sorry you lost your bet," he told her.

The words were hollow. Full of defeat. Full of hurt. Not only because of what had happened between the two of them, but because of his own failure as well.

She hurt too. He had come so close and failed. How could she not feel something for the boy she had spent months training? She hurt not only because of the result of the duel. She hurt because she had made him hurt.

Weiss stood before the boy who refused to meet her eye. "It was an admirable performance," she told him. "You should be proud. Proud of everything you've accomplished up to this point."

He didn't respond. She understood why. Had she failed in her final test to break free from her father and attend Beacon, she could imagine that she would not have wanted to speak to anyone either.

"Had it not been for the dust you would have won," she continued. She had to do something to try and raise his spirits. He should have won. She knew it. He probably knew it as well. "Your strategy was well thought out and executed. I finally see what my sister meant when she praised your family's name."

 _Keen warrior intellect._

She remembered the words well. She remembered a great deal of the words Winter had spoken to her all of those months ago at the CCT tower.

Something resembling a chuckle sounded from his lips. It was dark and didn't contain a trace of humor in it. "Funny, isn't it?" he asked. "The expert on dust didn't know about the dust in his weapon."

The words stung even if he hadn't intended them to. She truly had not known that Cardin's mace had a fire dust crystal in its head. If she had things would have gone differently. She would have let Jaune know. He would have won.

"I'm sorry," she said.

He shook his head. "Don't be. I know it wasn't intentional or anything. I just thought it was funny. Gotta see the humor in the bad things, right?"

It was a twisted way of looking at things, but in a way it made sense. If one let tragedy control them then they could never move past it. If one found humor in that same tragedy then it would lose its power.

"I still should have known," she insisted. "I'm the expert on dust like you said. I was your teacher. I should have known. Especially if..."

She stopped herself before she could utter a word about the bet. She should have known everything about Cardin and his capabilities. In the end not knowing one detail about his weapon had cost Jaune dearly.

"Yeah," Jaune agreed. She knew he had picked up on her line of thought without having to say it.

Weiss moved over to lean against the wall herself. A moment later she lowered herself against it much like he had. "I'm sorry."

"I know. You don't have to say it again."

She sighed. "No. Not for that. For the other thing."

Jaune hummed an affirmation. She hadn't expected him to be exuberant when it came to the subject. As a result she had no qualms with his response where in any other situation she probably would have reprimanded him.

Her legs squeezed together tightly as she pulled them up close to her chest. She rested her arms upon her knees as she stared down at them. "Have I ever told you about my father?"

She could feel her heart beat inside her chest and her head as she waited for his response. Finally it came. "No. I don't think so."

It had been rhetorical. Weiss knew she had never told him. She had never told anyone. However it was a way to begin the conversation. "He's the chairman of the Schnee Dust Company. He's the wealthiest man in Atlas, and one of the most influential men in all of Remnant."

Another hum came from Jaune, this time though it was as if he was trying to sound impressed. "Wow. Sounds like quite a guy."

"I hate my father."

Four words killed the conversation before it had gotten a chance to even begin. She knew that he would not ask any further questions. If she wanted to she could get up and leave right now and not a single further word would be spoken.

She didn't do that, however. She hadn't come down here for nothing. Regardless of how difficult this was going to be, Weiss knew that she had to persevere. "He's given my siblings and me everything we had ever asked for growing up. Lien was never an issue. If we wanted it then it was ours. No questions asked."

A glance over to Jaune showed that he was still looking down to the floor. His eyes were open, but they were blank as well. The goofy, wise-cracking Jaune was nowhere to be found. She was both happy and saddened by the sight.

"All he wanted in return was control," she continued. "Control over our lives. Control over our futures. It was especially true in recent years. I am to be his heir, after all. As such I must be molded and shaped in his image so that _his_ legacy may live on through me. I must do as I am told for the good of the family. For the Schnee name."

Never before had she shared this with anyone. Not even Ruby. So why was she doing so with Jaune of all people?

She knew the answer before even asking the question. He was like her now. In so many more ways than she had originally thought.

"I hate my father because of how he treats those around him. He uses them. Manipulates them. Treats them like pieces in a living game of chess. All for the betterment of the company. All for the family name. The board members, the workers, even myself, we're all just pawns to him. Ready to be used and tossed aside after we've served our purpose."

That one single word had so much impact on her. It had become especially apparent after Jaune had said it.

"I treated you like a pawn, Jaune." At this point she was having a difficult time holding things together. Years of careful practice in hiding her emotions were falling short. "And by doing so I saw my worst nightmare come true. I had become the person my father had wanted me to be. I had become like him." She could not keep the slight quiver out of her voice in those last few words. She hated herself for it. She wanted to stop, but she still had one more thing to say. "I'm sorry, Jaune. I'm so sorry for treating you like that."

Her eyes were closed as she leaned her head back against the wall. Maybe if she kept them closed the tears that threatened to spill forth would be held at bay.

They opened wide when she felt something warm upon her hand. She didn't have to look down to tell that it was his own large, leather-gloved hand. A glance to her right saw that he had finally looked up and in her direction.

"It's okay," he said simply. The two words weren't particularly comforting alone, but the tone in which he spoke them was. Gone was the emptiness that had been there in his earlier apology. In its place was a warmth that felt genuine.

She looked away from him, unable to meet his eyes as she went on. "It's not okay," she insisted. "You weren't just a pawn. You weren't just a tool for my own ego." A short sniff sounded in her nostrils, and Weiss had never hated allergy season more than she did right now. "What you said before about our friendship. It wasn't a lie. You _are_ my friend, okay?"

Words which Ruby would have given up cookies and strawberries for a year to hear just once. Words given so freely here. Or were they? Perhaps those words had come at a terrible price. The price of a broken friendship.

The feeling around her hand tightened. A light pressure surrounded it. Her heart raced at the sensation and her face felt warm. She looked back over to him to see what was going on.

A reassuring squeeze was matched with a reassuring smile. His soft-spoken voice sounded louder because of it. "I'm glad."

It was unusual to say the least. The usually loud, obnoxious boy who never shut up was making her do all the talking while he gave short, simple replies. Yet despite the short length of his sentences there was a great weight carried in the words. A sense of happiness. Comfort. Relief.

So much relief.

"I'm sorry too," he added a few seconds later. "I never had a chance to say it before with everything that happened, but I'm sorry for lying to you. And... I've always really wanted to be your friend too."

The words surprised her. After everything he still wanted her friendship? Of course he did. From the very first day they had met he had been trying to win her over. From stupid pickup lines to stupid jokes, all he had ever wanted was to be her friend. All she had ever done was try to push him away.

Maybe he could see what she was going through right now. Maybe he could appreciate how much effort it had taken to say the words that she had never before spoken to anyone else. Had they helped to win his forgiveness? Or was that forgiveness always somewhere inside waiting for the opportunity to come out?

Weiss wanted to laugh. So much so that a pair of tears had started to trail down her cheeks even before she had started. Pre-emptive tears of laughter was the only explanation she could come up with.

She wiped them away with her left hand as she gazed off into the sea of empty seats. "I'm glad too."

* * *

 **Author's Note:** I know that recently I've been updating my other story more frequently than this one. Like in sports you have to play whoever's hot at the moment, and right now I feel like the other one is easier to write. Probably because bitchy twins having fun is easier to write than emotional drama.

As always my thanks go out to all the fans of this story. Your support is greatly appreciated, and I am continuously humbled by how many people keep coming back for more. So thank you.

Questions, comments, or concerns? Send me a PM or leave a review and I'll address any issues if I'm able to.

I hope you enjoyed the chapter.


	24. Chapter 24

Freedom. It tasted so sweet.

Jaune couldn't keep a wide grin from creeping onto his face. He was done. He had survived his first semester at Beacon Academy. It hadn't been without help, however.

Pyrrha had wound up partnered with him and unlocked his Aura. Weiss had helped to train him. Even with the book he had found in the student library he knew he could not have achieved all that he had on his own. He owed both Pyrrha and Weiss a great deal for their assistance. With the former he had tried to be the best partner possible every day of his life. He had poured every ounce of strength and will into being strong so that he would not let her down. So that he would not tarnish her image with his association. He hoped that his efforts had proven enough for the girl.

With Weiss however... that was a bit more difficult. To say that their relationship had had bumps along the way would be an understatement. Especially in the past couple of weeks. However things were back to normal now. Normal. He wondered what that word even meant anymore. Nothing about his situation was normal. Nothing about his life in general.

Would he have to repay her at all? With the truth about her own motives coming to the surface he wondered if she would consider everything to be even. Each had lied to the other. Each had hid their true face. Now that everything was out in the open, would that be the end of it? Would they part ways now starting in the second semester?

A part of him believed to be the case. Since the day of their first fight he had trained alone. He still used her methods. He still used all of the information that she had taught him. However despite her presence in his mind, he was still alone. He could ask Pyrrha... but she was so far above his level that he was hesitant to even ask. To her he would probably just be a waste of her time and talents. She was the Invincible Girl after all. A warrior without peer here at this school.

Jaune ran a hand through his blonde locks as he walked outside. The breeze was pleasant, and after being cooped up in Professor Port's classroom for the past almost two hours it was good to get outside. He felt confident that he had done well on his Grimm Studies final exam. With that out of the way all he had left to do was look forward to going home. To enjoy the semester break for a couple of weeks before coming back here and starting back up. He couldn't wait to see his family. To show them, and especially his father, all which he had learned.

He wondered what everyone else would be doing. The little he knew about Ren and Nora's pasts didn't exactly paint a positive picture. He knew that they were both orphans, which was one reason they were so inseparable. A part of him considered inviting them back to his place for the break. It was certainly big enough to accommodate them. Comfortably housing eight children was proof enough of that. He wondered if his parents would have been so... proactive if his father had not inherited the large home which was built long ago on his ancestor's legacy.

What would someone like Pyrrha be doing? Probably something exciting back in Mistral. The face of Pumpkin Pete's Marshmallow Flakes would probably be fending off all sorts of endorsement deals and interview offers in her spare time. She would probably not care for the simple life of the Arc household. Still... if he were to invite Ren and Nora he would be certain to extend an invitation to her as well. Even if it was likely that she would reject it.

Maybe he would just stay on campus for the break. He could always simply call his family on his scroll and have a little video chat with them. He might even have the room to himself if his teammates had plans. Even if they didn't, that itself would present him with a good opportunity for some team bonding time. They could do all sorts of things like head into Vale to eat, shop, see movies and so many other things that the city offered. With no restrictions on staying out late and no need to worry about waking up for classes, they could all have a great time for two whole weeks.

As he pondered these things he saw a different, but almost equally as familiar group of people approach. Two of them were close enough to him that they were almost like a pair of extra teammates. Yang, and especially Blake, remained somewhat of mysteries to him, however he couldn't help but feel a comforting sense of familiarity as he saw Ruby and Weiss approach. Well... maybe just Ruby. He didn't know how to feel about Weiss anymore.

It didn't take long for him to make eye contact with their team's leader, and Ruby's face lit up at the sight of him. "Hey, Jaune!" she greeted warmly.

He brought a hand up and waved weakly. "Hey. What's up?"

"Nothing much. Just heading back to our room. Making plans for the break. How do you think you did on Port's exam?"

Jaune shrugged. "I don't know. Decent? At least it wasn't as bad as Professor Peach's."

"I know!" Ruby exclaimed. "It felt like we didn't even learn half of the stuff that was on the test."

Their errant teacher's lackadaisical attitude toward her profession probably had something to do with that. There were times where it seemed like they did more self-studying than they had actual lessons. It made Jaune wonder how and why the teacher was even employed. Then again it was better than another strict taskmaster like Professor Goodwitch. He would take Peach over her any day.

"How about you?" he asked. "Think you did well?"

Ruby was about to respond, but it was Yang who did so in her place. "She better have," the blonde said as she wrapped an arm around her sister's shoulders. "Weiss was studying and quizzing her for hours over the past few days. If she gets anything less than a perfect score I think our little Ice Queen is gonna be disappointed."

Jaune looked to the girl in question for any sign of disagreement or insult. He wasn't surprised when he found none.

"Hmmph," Weiss snorted as she folded her arms across her chest. "Ruby is our leader and should be an example to us all. I would expect no less if any of us were leader."

"You mean if you were leader?"

"I didn't say that," the heiress protested. "I am over that, thank you very much."

It was another thing which failed to surprise Jaune. He felt like he knew Weiss well. Better than most, and almost as well as her actual teammates. To be passed over as the leader of Team RWBY must have been a stinging blow to her ego. He could still recall how Ruby had come to him asking for advice on how to get close to Weiss. He was glad that the two girls had become genuine friends. Even if Weiss' icy exterior still made it seem as if they were anything but. It was just how the girl was. He wouldn't change it for anything.

"Ahem, getting back on topic," Ruby said. She turned her attention back to Jaune. "I think I did good. Weiss helped me a lot. She's a great tutor when she's not beating you over the head with her sword."

"I did not do that!"

"Metamorphically," Ruby clarified. "You know, because your words are sharp and they cut and stuff?"

"Ruby, the word is 'metaphorically'," Weiss explained.

"Yeah, that. Point is your words hurt."

Weiss scoffed. "Unbelievable," she said as she turned to Jaune. "I do my best to help my partner and leader and this is how I get thanked? At least you know how to properly appreciate all of my..." The girl trailed off there. Her words hung in the air for a moment, and she never got around to finishing them. Instead she decided simply to steer the conversation to its ending. "In any case I must plan how I will be spending my off time. Goodbye."

She started off in the direction she and the rest of her team had been originally headed. The girl only made it around ten feet away before Yang had caught up with her and grabbed hold of her arm. Weiss spun around to look at the blonde, a questioning look on her face.

"What are you doing?" she asked. Yang bent down, cupping a hand around Weiss' ear and whispering into it. After a few seconds Weiss pulled away angrily. "Excuse me? I will say nothing of the sort!"

Jaune looked over to Ruby and Blake. The former seemed just as confused as he was with the situation, while the latter looked on disinterestedly. If her body language was anything to go by it looked as though Blake wanted to be on her way as well.

He sidled up next to Ruby, tilting his head slightly down as he spoke. "What's going on?" he asked in a low voice.

The short girl shrugged. "I dunno."

The teens saw that Yang was whispering into Weiss' ear again, and when she pulled back had a devious grin on her face. Weiss' face on the other hand was scrunched in confusion as she looked up at the other girl. "I'm sorry, but how and why do you even intend to fit us inside of a shipping parcel?"

Jaune had absolutely no idea what was taking place, or what kind of random conversation was going on between the girls. He didn't know if he should be concerned that Ruby didn't either. If she of all people didn't understand the insanity which was taking place on her team then no one would.

For a third time the blonde girl began to whisper into Weiss' ear. This time brought the most dramatic of the physical reactions, and Jaune could see how the Schnee girl's body stiffened in reaction to Yang's words.

Weiss took a step back, a scowl on her face as she stared at a confident and smirking blonde girl. "You wouldn't!" Yang said nothing, letting her silence and her expression do all of the speaking for her. In the end it would appear that Weiss conceded. "Fine."

The confusion only escalated when Yang gestured for Ruby to come over to her. "Yo, Ruby. Blake. We gotta go."

Ruby and Jaune shared a look, and the girl shrugged once more. "Okay... not really sure what's going on, but I'm glad I got to see you again before we all head out. Have a good break."

Jaune smiled. "Yeah, you too. And good luck with whatever Yang is doing."

She nodded. "I think I'm gonna need it. But Blake, you'll have my back, right?"

The quiet girl spoke for the first time since the meeting had begun. "I prefer not to entangle myself in dramatic situations."

It was odd hearing that sort of sentiment coming from a former member of the White Fang. Then again maybe it was her time spent in the terrorist group which had shaped that policy. Or maybe it was simply sarcastic humor. It was difficult to tell when the deadpan girl was making a joke.

Jaune could hear Ruby protest and complain as she and Blake walked off to where Yang was waiting. Soon enough the three girls were on their way. They walked slowly, far slower than what was to be expected. At first he thought that they might be waiting for Weiss to catch up, but a look at the white-haired girl showed that the girl was not moving at all. Soon enough it was quite contrary, and she began moving closer to him, her eyes glued to the sidewalk below her as she did.

As she stood a respectable amount of distance from Jaune, her attention was drawn to the excited giggling coming from both Yang and Ruby in the distance. Her body visually stiffened again. Jaune felt a cold shiver run over his body.

"What's that about?" he asked her.

The heiress' eyes narrowed, still locked onto the girls as they lingered around the general area. "I don't know... but I don't like it."

Jaune could understand why. Ruby and Yang were both clever and mischievous girls. Not in any bad sense, but both girls had a certain way of going about getting the results they desired. When combined the two sisters were as dangerous, if not more so than even his own siblings.

A soft noise came from Weiss as she cleared her throat, and used her hands to flatten out the non-existent wrinkles in her skirt. Or if they did exist Jaune simply didn't notice them. He didn't have quite the eye for detail that the girl did. After all, she had been able to shop and purchase an entire outfit for him just by guessing at his size and dimensions. It truly was remarkable how well those clothes fit him. It was just a shame he never had a good excuse to wear them. Maybe he could go somewhere nice in Vale if he did decide to stay at Beacon over the break.

After a brief period of silence it was Weiss who spoke first. "How have you been, Jaune?"

The words seemed forced. Almost robotic. He understood why. Things hadn't exactly been the same between the two since his duel with Cardin.

"Alright," he shrugged. "What about you?"

"Fine. Thank you for asking."

Jaune nodded. Silence fell over them again. He glanced over to where Ruby, Yang and Blake were still hovering. Sure, they had gotten a few feet further away from them, but it really did seem like they were waiting around for Weiss to finish up with whatever business she had here. Jaune wondered just what it was that she had to say to him.

"Are you still training?"

The words caught him off-guard. His attention snapped from the other three girls and back onto Weiss. "Oh. Yeah. I try to get a little in every day. But with the exams I put more effort into studying than physical training."

This time it was Weiss who nodded. "That's good."

Another question asked, and another answer given. It was becoming painful just how odd things were. Usually Weiss was dominant and in control of a conversation. Usually he couldn't get her to stop talking. Or to stop insulting him. He missed the scathing words. He missed the sharp tongue. It had gotten to the point where those things were just a part of their relationship. They weren't harmful. They weren't bad. They were just part of what made Weiss herself, and he accepted them wholeheartedly and without complaint. It wasn't only who she was. It was a part of who _they_ were. A Weiss who didn't insult him just didn't feel like Weiss.

"What do you plan to do with your free time?"

It was a question Jaune had been pondering himself. He shrugged again. "I'm not sure yet. I might go home to visit the family. I might stay here. Hopefully I get to spend some quality time with my team. What about you? Going home to Atlas to see your family?"

Weiss' shoulders became rigid with the question. It took Jaune a moment to understand why. To remember what she had told him a couple of weeks ago.

 _I hate my father._

Perhaps asking about her home hadn't been the best idea. He moved quickly to correct the error before she answered. "Weiss, I didn't mean to-"

"It's fine," she interrupted. There was a hint of an edge to her voice. She was finally showing some emotion in this conversation. However Jaune hadn't intended for it to come about in this manner. The last thing he wanted to do was upset her.

Jaune reached up and rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, uh, if you do decide to stay at Beacon we could always hang out if you wanted to. Not that you have to or anything. Just an idea. I guess Ruby and Yang are going back to Patch."

She nodded politely. "Thank you. I will keep that in mind."

It wasn't a definitive answer either way. If Jaune was more negative he might have simply interpreted it as her way of saying "no thanks". Right now Weiss was being cautious. She was being polite. He had his doubts that she would call upon him if they were both alone at Beacon. After all, what did they even have in common anymore? What reason did they have to hang out? With everything out in the open now there was no excuse for her to train with him daily. Right now they were simply two people on two different teams who were recovering from their shared lies to one another.

They had both expressed their genuine desire for friendship. However that was much easier said than done. It would take time to get over it all. Even then things might never be the same as they were before. However different didn't have to mean worse. Different could mean better.

He nodded to himself with that train of thought.

Months ago Jaune had set out on a mission. He had made it his duty to befriend Weiss Schnee. To break down those cold, icy walls of hers and get to know the real girl behind them. Over the course of the past semester he initially thought that he had been successful. Then, for a brief period he thought that he had failed. However now, after speaking with her after his fight with Cardin, he knew the truth. He had succeeded after all. She did consider him to be a friend. Now they just had to find a way back to acting like it.

With newfound determination he smiled at her. "I hope you do," he said earnestly. "But even if I don't see you over the break I hope you have a good time. And I can't wait to spend another semester with you and everyone else."

A look of stunned disbelief spread over the girl's face, and for a moment it looked as though she was going to say something. However when it looked like she was struggling to come up with something, Jaune took control for once.

"Looks like your team is waiting for you. So I'll see you around okay?" He offered a light wave before he started to head off. "Or maybe not. Just have a good time either way."

Weiss raised a her own hand weakly. "Sure... you too."

Jaune turned and walked off, feeling great about what had just transpired. Things wouldn't have to go back to normal. Normal was built on a foundation of lies. This would be better than normal. Better than what they had previously had. This would be a new beginning of friendship.

He had started off strong, and now the ball was in her court. Whether or not she desired to reciprocate his intentions was up to her. In any case, Jaune would not have any regrets when it was all said and done.

* * *

Things were quiet. Too quiet.

Ever since Weiss had rejoined the rest of her team things had seemed off. She would expect this sort of silence from Blake. However, for both Ruby and Yang to not be incessantly yammering was unusual to say the least. Especially with how Yang had been acting only minutes earlier.

Weiss still had no idea how, why or where the blonde girl planned on shipping her and Jaune to. There was no package she was aware of that would fit one, let alone two people inside of it comfortably. The only thing she could even think of was an SDC dust container, and that would not be a pleasant experience for anyone involved. Truly Yang was a weird girl to say the least.

Her concentration was broken when she heard a giggle coming from her side. A glance over there showed Ruby with her hand over her mouth, her silver eyes quickly darting away once they made contact with Weiss' own icy ones.

The fact that Ruby had reacted as if she'd been caught red-handed only annoyed Weiss further. "What," she said, her tone making it sound more like a statement than an actual question.

Ruby didn't meet her gaze again when she answered. "What?"

Answering a question with another question further irked the heiress. "What are you giggling about?"

Her partner looked up at the clouds this time. It was apparent that she wanted to look anywhere but at the person she was speaking to. "Nothing."

Blue eyes narrowed. Ruby was acting little better than an immature school girl. Never mind the fact that she actually was one. She was supposed to be better than that. After all, she was an aspiring huntress.

Everything about the situation was annoying Weiss. First it was the silence. Then the giggling. The guilt on Ruby's face. Now it was the one word answers. She knew that Ruby was lying. However she couldn't think of a single thing she had said or done recently which would warrant a reaction like this from the younger girl.

She wondered if it had anything to do with whatever it was that Yang had told her earlier. When she had been speaking alone with Jaune they had obviously been up to something. She dreaded to voice her concern about it, however. Both sisters were being particularly annoying today.

Just why had Yang insisted that she speak with Jaune alone? Why had she insisted that she ask him how he was doing and what his plans for the break were? Yang had never chosen to be so involved in her personal life before. What did it matter to the blonde if she had a chance to catch up with the boy today? It wasn't like that was anything new. They had been alone together dozens of times over the semester.

Silence descended on the group once more. She wasn't quite sure how to feel if this would become the new norm. On one hand it was less inane banter from the two loudmouths of the team. There would be less headaches. Less murder of her brain cells from hearing it.

On the other hand... there would be less inane banter from the two loudmouths of the team. There would be less opportunities to let her hair down and relax. Less fun.

Weiss sighed as her mind continued to wander. When had she grown to enjoy this? When had she come to view her time at Beacon as a time to have fun and experience life rather than stress about her grades and studies? When had she grown to feel like her team was less of a nuisance and more of a family?

Family. She wondered what her father would think of this. How would he react to all of them? To her teammates. To her friends on Team JNPR. All of them had their quirks. All of them were bizarre in their own special ways, and yet she had grown to tolerate them. More than that, she had grown to care for them. They were a support system the likes which she had never experienced.

She couldn't stop the small smile from forming on her face as she thought about just what they all meant to her.

It quickly vanished at the sound of a loud blonde blabbermouth. "What's on your mind, Weiss?"

Weiss focused on her surroundings once more, and turn to see that Yang was looking at her with a smirk of her own. "What are you talking about?" she asked defensively.

Yang shrugged. "I dunno. You were just smiling. Thought you might want to share with the class."

If it wasn't already off of her face, Weiss would have immediately removed the offending smile. It wouldn't do to admit to the blonde that thinking about all of them had caused her to smile. Yang would never let it go. Every day Weiss would be reminded by the girl of how much she loved and appreciated all of them. The annoyance would never end.

"It's nothing," Weiss said with a dismissive wave. However she knew she had been caught smiling, and as such had to come up with some sort of excuse. "I was simply recalling a joke I heard earlier. That's all."

There. Problem resolved. Now that that matter was settled they could resume their journey back to the dorms in peace.

Or they would have, if Ruby was not such a pest. "A joke?" their leader asked. "Tell us!"

Weiss' eye twitched. She had been so close. So very close. Why did her partner have to be so curious?

"Did Jaune tell you it?" Yang added. "You two were over there for a pretty long time."

Weiss looked over to the annoying blonde, her expression cold as she bored holes into her. "I was only over there talking to him because _you_ made me."

Yang brought a hand up to her heart as if she had just been insulted. "What? _Me?_ Whatever do you mean, Weiss?"

The heiress extended a finger accusingly at her. "You..." she trailed off as she remembered what the girl had whispered into her ear. It had been nothing short of blackmail. Extortion. Do it or else. In the end talking to Jaune had been the less painful of the options presented to her.

She had no idea why Yang was so eager to get her and Jaune to speak alone. Was it some misguided attempt to force the two to make up and become friends again? If so then the girl was wasting her efforts. They already _were_ friends again. They had both said as much after the boy's fight with Cardin.

Only... it hadn't exactly felt that way today. Weiss had known things would be awkward when they met again. When they spoke by themselves again. Back in the training room after Jaune's duel, they had both been emotional. It had been easy for feelings to spill out from them with no filter. However now that they had both had time to think and reflect upon all that had happened, things between them had been appropriately uncomfortable.

It was how things had started out. She had asked him simple questions. Then... then something happened. It surprised her how Jaune had seemingly flipped a switch and had acted not only cordial, but downright friendly towards her. It had thrown her off. She hadn't known what to say after he had extended an offer to hang out together if she wound up staying at Beacon between semesters. As a result she had been happy when he chose to end the conversation where he had. Almost as if he sensed her apprehension and decided to give her a way out.

She dismissed the thought immediately. As if he knew her that well. As if he would be so charitable even if he did.

"So..." Ruby said. "The joke?"

Weiss had completely forgotten about that train of thought. She didn't even care anymore either. It was best to just forget it and move on. "Don't worry about it," she said. "I seem to have forgotten."

A disappointed frown formed on the lips of her partner. Weiss didn't feel bad about it. There had never been a joke to begin with. Besides, the team got more than its fair share of them from Yang. Even if none of them were actually funny.

"Right," Yang said knowingly. There was an annoying smugness to both her tone and expression as she winked at the heiress.

She was utterly insufferable. Weiss had no idea how she had managed to form bonds with these girls. It was ridiculous. They would be the death of her. All of them.

"Oh well," Ruby continued, seemingly over the lost humor from her self-proclaimed best friend. "So what are your plans for the break, Weiss?"

She didn't actually know. The only thing which was certain was that she would not go home. She had come to Beacon to escape Atlas. She would not return willingly. She would be willing to go anywhere but there over the break. If she had it her way she would never step foot on that frozen prison ever again, with seeing Winter as the only exception.

However she did not want to actually let Ruby know that she had no plans. It wouldn't do for someone like her to not have arrangements made. For her to seem unpopular, unwanted, unprepared, would be a blow to her pride.

"Nothing too special," she answered vaguely. She already knew the answer to her own question thanks to Jaune, but it would be polite not to reciprocate. "What about you?"

The question seemed to perk the young girl up. "Me and Yang are going home to Patch."

 _Yang and I,_ Weiss mentally corrected her.

"That's where our dad lives," Ruby continued. "Oh and Zwei. He's a dog. Do you like dogs?"

She didn't know. Weiss had never had the opportunity to own a pet. Her father would not allow them in his home. Pets were for commoners who did not have expensive furniture to soil and shred. Pets shed fur. Pets made noise.

No, the closest thing she had ever had to a dog wasn't even an animal at all. She recalled a moment with Winter from a couple weeks ago. One where she had blatantly said as much. A pet dog. One which she fed treats to. One who up until recently had always been by her side. Just like any good, loyal dog.

She missed that loyalty.

Weiss shook her head. "I've never had a dog," she said. "I don't know."

"Oh, you'll love Zwei! He's smart! And funny! And so adorable!" Ruby looked as if she was about to explode from sheer joy. "I know you would love him!"

Perhaps she would. Perhaps she wouldn't. It was a moot point as it was. She was staying here at Beacon, after all. It wasn't as if she would even have the opportunity to meet the critter.

"Weiss, I just had the best idea ever! You should come to Patch with me and Yang!"

Or not.

"Yeah," Yang agreed. "And you too, Blake. We could make it a whole Team RWBY sort of thing. What do you say?"

Two weeks cooped up with her teammates by choice? She almost wanted to laugh thinking about how Blake, the former White Fang terrorist, would be the most tolerable one in the situation. Ruby and Yang would be fully unleashed in that sort of setting. There would be no school rules to hold them back. No fear of social faux pas to keep them in line. She would get to see them in their natural habitat, so to speak.

"I don't know..." Weiss said softly.

"Oh come on. Zwei!" Ruby said as if the name of her pet dog would change everything. "It'll be like a big long team building exercise thing. When we look at it like that, and I know that you'd appreciate it more if we did, it has a practical purpose and stuff!"

What was that supposed to mean? It wasn't as if all Weiss did was study and train. It wasn't as if everything she did was done with practicality and efficiency in mind. It wasn't as if she was incapable of letting her hair down, relaxing and having fun from time to time.

The more Weiss mentally listed items off the more she realized just how untrue they were. She was in fact used to doing things in the most pragmatic way possible. It was simply the way she had been raised.

Maybe she should. After all, it wasn't as if she had anything better to do over the break. Her plan was to stay at Beacon alone in her dorm where she could get some much-needed peace and quiet. Where she could be alone with her thoughts. Where she would have time to think and reflect upon everything which had happened.

No.

Weiss didn't want to be alone. Not now. Not ever again. She had dealt with too much loneliness in her life already.

"Alright," she relented. Or at least that was how she had made it sound. She could not admit to Ruby that she was actually all for the idea. Better to make the younger girl think that she had twisted her partner's arm on the issue than have her believe that she actually preferred the plan over staying at Beacon.

"Yes!" Ruby cheered with a fist pump which could have crushed a Beowolf's skull. Her attention then turned to the other girl who had been invited. "What about you, Blake?"

The girl's amber eyes flicked over to where Ruby was walking. "No."

A mixture of sadness and disappointment was etched onto Ruby's face. "Wha? Why not?"

Blake's eyes narrowed as she took them off of Ruby and instead looked straight ahead. "Dog."

So Blake wasn't a dog lover then. Weiss supposed that not everyone in the world was. Even if from what she had seen, they were unbelievably adorable. They were loyal. Affectionate. Trusting. Appreciative. Unlike cats...

Something mentally clicked inside of Weiss' head. She looked over to her teammate, remembering what lay underneath that black bow of hers. She wanted to say something. A few months ago she probably would have. However the last thing she wanted to do right now was accidentally spark another heated argument about faunus racism and stereotypes. Even if in this case the stereotype would be absolutely correct.

"Aw, come on!" Ruby insisted. "I know you're a cat faunus and all, but Zwei is great! Even you would love him!"

Weiss released a breath she hadn't realized she had been holding in. Leave it to Ruby to have absolutely no tact or sense. Sure, just call out the cat faunus for not liking dogs. That will go over well.

At least Blake didn't appear to be upset over the comment. She probably understood that Ruby wasn't exactly the most socially aware person in the world. She probably knew that Ruby didn't even realize what she had said or implied. On the other hand, if Weiss herself had been the one to make the comment she was sure that Blake would have called her out over it.

To her credit, Blake was polite in her next response. "I'll pass."

It appeared that Ruby was about to go into full on 'sad puppy' mode by the way her wide eyes glistened and her mouth began to quiver. The irony would no doubt be lost upon their leader. "But..."

She never had a chance to voice her protest before Weiss intervened. "Ruby," she said calmly. "I think Blake's made up her mind."

The red-cloaked girl's mouth hung open for a second longer as if she wanted to say something. However soon enough it closed, and she nodded in understanding.

Blake sent Weiss an appreciative nod. Weiss returned the gesture. It was hard to believe that they had been at each other's throats only a few weeks ago.

A few months ago Weiss would have had no second thoughts about initiating another firestorm of an argument, Ruby would have continued on trying to force things along which either needed to happen naturally or simply did not need to happen at all. In those regards both girls had grown as people. Both had matured. Both had one another to thank for helping them along.

"I understand," the girl said simply, rather than insisting that Blake come along. "Will you be okay by yourself wherever you go?"

The tiny smirk which formed on Blake's lips told the entire story. She was happy being alone. Not because she hated her teammates, but because to her there was no better time to be had than being alone with a good book. Or a stack of them. Having two weeks to enjoy whatever she chose to read would be bliss for the dark-haired girl.

Yang smiled as well, knowing that the silence which came from Blake was deafening. "I think she'll be just fine."

So then that settled things. Weiss would be leaving with the two sisters to venture to Patch over the break. She had only really ever read about the place, and the only thing she knew for certain was that the tiny island off the coast of Vale was home to Signal Academy.

She wondered what the community itself would be like. Would it be a mini version of Vale? What would the local eateries offer? What did one do for entertainment? What kind of home did Ruby and Yang grow up in? Naturally Weiss wasn't expecting something like her own mansion back in Atlas. However for two crazy and energetic girls like those sisters, it had to be something fairly large and liberating, right?

* * *

Liberating had been correct. However not in the way she had been expecting.

Weiss looked at the single log cabin that stood in the woods. For a building of that nature it looked surprisingly modern. There were large windows on both the first and second floors, and even a set of glass doors on the back side. Normally when Weiss had read of log cabins in books they were simple little things, probably consisting of two rooms at most along with technology which would have put it back in time by a couple centuries.

The main shock was everything around the place. They were in the middle of nowhere. Aside from the grass clearing which surrounded the house on all sides, there was forest as far as she could see. A single dirt road extended through the forest where it met up with yet another larger road, which eventually led into the main settlement on the island. Weiss wondered just what the girls did for fun growing up if it was such a trek to get into civilization. Certainly some sort of transportation was required, whether it was by car or bicycle.

A glance over to the two sisters showed a sense of nostalgia and familiarity at the sight of their home. If those two of all people could tolerate such isolation then perhaps it wouldn't be so bad after all.

"It's nice to be back," Ruby smiled. "Think dad's home?"

Yang shrugged. "Probably. School's out at Signal too. Not like he has anything better to do."

Weiss didn't know why that would matter, but she made no comment. She wondered what the father of these two must have been like. He was either the most patient and understanding man in the world to have put up with them for so many years, or he was just as crazy as they were and responsible for how his daughters had wound up.

A sudden shiver ran down her spine. She did not like the next two weeks of her life resting on the odds of a coin flip.

"Only one way to find out," Ruby said as she motioned for Weiss to follow. "Come on."

The heiress nodded, following closely behind the two sisters. Upon reaching the door she had expected one of the girls to pull out a key, or at least ring the door bell. However to her surprise the door was unlocked. Was their father expecting them? Or was this one of those situations she had heard about where people lived in such a safe and peaceful location that they felt comfortable leaving their doors unlocked? Personally she could never understand having that level of trust in her fellow man. Inviting unwelcome strangers inside was inviting disaster.

After stepping inside Weiss was hit with the scent of natural wood. It made sense, with the place being constructed mostly out of the stuff. However it wasn't just the exterior. Both the floor and walls were made of wooden planks of different shades, and probably different types of tree as well. It was a rustic and strangely satisfying smell, not at all like that of her own home. There would be no marble sculptures or fountains here. However it did not make the sister's home any less unpleasant. The colors were warm, unlike the sterile white which dominated her own. It felt less like a house and more like a home. It was cozy. It was welcoming.

"Dad!" Ruby shouted to no one in particular. "We're home!"

Weiss imagined herself doing the same thing had she returned to Atlas. First and foremost her father would not have heard her yells even if she had done such a thing. He would have likely been all the way in his study, where it probably would have taken a good two minutes to reach from the front door. And second she would have never dreamed of acting in such an undignified way. Schnees did not shout at someone in the distance to garner their attention. One was to be approached directly and spoken to like a civilized person.

However shouting was perfectly acceptable when her father was right next to her, behind closed doors...

The memory was driven from her mind when she heard something coming from the top of the staircase. "Be right down!"

"That's our dad," Ruby said, pointing out the obvious. "He's really nice. You'll like him."

Weiss nodded. She hoped that he would be the kind and patient type and not a crazy man who his daughters had taken after.

She heard a noise from the stairs, and to her surprise it was not a person who was coming down, but rather a small, furry ball of fluff which raced down the steps on short and stubby legs. The jingling of metal tags on a collar filled the air, and soon enough the tiny creature was upon them. At least as much as its short stature would let it.

"Hey, Zwei!" Ruby gushed as the dog ran up to her, jumping so that its front legs rested on the girl's knees. "Did you miss me, boy? Did you miss me?"

The dog panted excitedly as Ruby bent down and started to pet and ruffle his fur excitedly. Zwei appeared to enjoy it greatly, and began licking Ruby's face as if it was made of food.

The girl laughed, and after a few seconds gently pushed the dog away before standing back up. "Okay okay!" she giggled. "I missed you too, but I don't wanna smell like dog breath!"

Zwei seemed to take the hint, and went over to Yang next, repeating much of the same actions he had just performed with Ruby. However the blonde seemingly had little interest in getting the dog's slobber all over her face, and resorted to simply petting the little thing as he pressed up against her legs.

"We missed you, little guy!" she cooed, scratching him behind his ears. "Did you look after the house while we were gone? Did you protect dad?"

Zwei continued to stand there with his tongue hanging out, oblivious to the questions being asked, and simply enjoyed the attention being heaped upon him.

Weiss couldn't stop herself from smiling at the sight. He was such a simple creature. So easy to please. So utterly... adorable. Ruby had been right on that account.

Apparently she noted as much, and she turned her attention to Weiss. "Weiss, go say hi to Zwei!"

As if the dog understood what Ruby was saying, Zwei next turned his attention to the heiress. He moved as quickly as his tiny legs would carry him, and in no time was staring up at her with expectant eyes.

It was in that moment that Weiss felt something in her chest the likes of which she had never experienced. Was it a heart attack? No. A stroke? Negative. She didn't know what it was. All she knew was that she had to hug the little fur ball.

She bent down, hunched over on her knees as she tentatively reached out with a hand toward the dog's face. He sniffed her curiously for a few moments before his tongue lashed out and began licking her finger.

The girl would have normally been mortified at the thought of her hand becoming drenched in animal saliva. However with Zwei she didn't care. She brought herself a bit closer to him, at the same time reaching around with both arms to embrace the tiny corgi.

"Hi, Zwei," she whispered affectionately. "You are just the cutest thing I've ever seen. Yes you are." Zwei pressed his head against her leg as she continued to pet him fervently. "We're going to be best friends aren't we? The very best. Yes we are."

"I'm so glad he likes you," Ruby squealed. "Zwei's a great judge of character. He takes after me. Isn't that right, Weiss?"

The outside world seemed to vanish into shades of black, white and grey as she pet Zwei. She knew that Ruby had said something regarding her. She knew words had been spoken, but they simply hadn't registered in the heiress' brain.

Weiss was returned to reality when she heard another noise coming from the top of the staircase. She let go of Zwei as if she had been caught red-handed. For some reason the thought of anyone but her teammates seeing her act how she had around Zwei made her feel embarrassed. Like it would be improper to be seen in that manner.

A look up revealed a tanned man dressed in brown attire similar to Yang's own descending from the second floor. Like her he had thick blonde hair, but his eyes were blue where hers were a light purple. His bright smile lit up the room as he looked upon the girls who stood in the living room.

"Hey, dad!" Ruby said as she rushed up to give him a hug. The girl's grip was as strong as steel, and if her hug caused the man any pain he showed no signs of it.

"Ruby," he said warmly as he returned the embrace. His eyes were closed as he held her for long seconds before they parted. Weiss felt another twinge of something in her heart at the display. "I've missed you."

"Me too, dad. But I've been having so much fun at Beacon. I can't wait to tell you all about it."

"And I can't wait to hear it." The man next turned his attention to Yang, who was not being nearly as affectionate as her sister. "And I've missed you too, Yang. How are you doing?" he asked as he held a fist out towards her.

The blonde girl coolly raised a fist of her own and bumped it against her father's. "Oh you know. Kicking butt as always. Keeping this one out of trouble."

Ruby stuck her tongue out at her sister after those words. Their father just chuckled a bit as he spoke. "Glad to hear it. And that you're looking after each other like always."

"Of course we are!" Ruby said. "And of course as team leader her safety is my responsibility."

"Maybe if you'd look after yourself a bit more you wouldn't explode so much."

Their father squinted. "Explode?"

"Ignore her!" Ruby looked around nervously before her eyes finally settled on Weiss. "Oh, dad. This is my partner and teammate, Weiss Schnee."

The man looked over to her and extended a hand. "Nice to meet you, Weiss. I'm Taiyang Xiao Long."

She took the hand and shook it. It was surprisingly strong and calloused. "A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Xiao Long."

"Please, call me Taiyang. Or Tai. Whatever works best for you."

Weiss nodded. "Very well."

Tai looked off for a moment before speaking once more. "So, your last name is Schnee? As in the Schnee Dust Company?"

At one point in her life Weiss would have been pleased by the recognition of her name. Now however she felt no satisfaction or joy at it. "Correct."

"Wow, that's pretty neat. You know I'm actually reading a really good book about gravity dust right now."

The statement piqued her interest. Dust was always an intriguing topic, family-related or not. "Really?"

"Yeah," the man smiled. "It's impossible to put it down!"

Weiss was about to comment when she heard both Yang and Ruby groan. A look in their direction showed barely hidden contempt and embarrassment on their faces.

"Dad, please," Yang said. "We just got home."

The heiress didn't understand their displeasure, however. "What? Gravity dust is a fascinating subject and takes years of practice to master. Maybe if you two were as attentive as your father then your grades wouldn't be where they're at."

She hadn't intended to do so, but her words seemed to cause Ruby to pale even further than her natural skin tone.

Tai turned his gaze to his daughters. "Oh really? Ruby, Yang, I thought you two said you were doing well in your classes."

Ruby shot Weiss a look of complete and utter betrayal before returning her focus to her father. "I am! I'm doing really good!"

 _Well at least now I know where she_ doesn't _get her poor grammar from._

Their father hummed, not sounding entirely convinced by Ruby's words. "I suppose we'll see when report cards get mailed, won't we?" His eyes returned to Yang next. "And what about you, Yang?"

The elder sister shrugged, a look of confidence on her face. "I'm at the top of my class."

Tai nodded in understanding, but did not relent. "And what about in your non-combat classes? Like history? Or Grimm theory?"

Yang's averted her eyes this time, glancing to the ground before looking back up at him. "I'm... I'm doing fine."

"Uh huh," he smirked. "Just remember that being a huntress isn't all about fighting. You have to be smart so that you win those fights when you wind up getting into them. Preparation is the name of the game. Execution is only the last step."

Weiss was impressed. Ruby and Yang's father was smart. She briefly wondered how it was that he of all people wound up with two daughters like he had. She wondered further about how he was able to give such good advice for being a huntress.

Still, the girls were both good people. Sure they could afford to be better students, but Weiss felt that as their friend and teammate that she should stick up for them. "I may have only known your daughters for a few months, but they both have all the potential in the world."

"They do," Tai agreed.

"They do well enough in class, but I feel that they do need to apply themselves more."

She heard a scoff from off to the side, and turned to see Yang glaring daggers at her. "What is this, a parent-teacher conference? Seriously, I haven't heard a line like that since I was in grade school."

"Well I am both a parent and a teacher," Tai said. "So, yes. Let's go with that."

Weiss thought about how she was an unofficial teacher as well. She wondered what it was that Tai himself taught. "If you don't mind me asking, Tai, what do you teach?"

"I work over at Signal Academy. So anything these two know I most likely taught them. And anything they don't know, well, it's because they didn't pay attention during my classes."

So he was a genuine huntsman himself? That explained why Ruby's hug hadn't crushed his spine. It also explained his earlier lesson on what it meant to be a huntress. Perhaps she would be able to pick at his brain a little bit over the next two weeks. After all, Signal Academy would be having no classes either. She just hoped that she would not impose by doing so.

"Don't forget Uncle Qrow," Ruby chimed in.

"Of course," Tai amended. "Anything they know wrong was probably taught to them by their uncle."

Ruby growled. "Not what I meant!"

Knowing how Ruby could be, and wanting to avoid a pointless squabble, Weiss continued asking questions. "How long have you been a teacher?"

Tai hummed in thought. "A little over ten years?" he guessed. "Yeah I'd say that sounds about right. Before that I actually had a job at a calendar factory."

How bizarre. Weiss wanted to know how he had transitioned from that job to that of a huntsman instructor. "Really?"

"Yeah. But they wound up firing me because I took a couple days off!"

Why would an employer do such a thing? Even at her family's company there were a certain number of days per year an employee could take off due to illness or vacation. It truly must have been a terrible time working at the calendar factory if one could be fired for doing such a thing. Perhaps that's why Ruby and Yang were groaning again...

Click.

A look of sudden realization came over Weiss' face. A calendar factory... taking days off...

This man was brilliant.

A smile invaded her lips, and soon enough she was stifling a laugh. "Tai, you're so funny."

The sound of flesh on flesh rang in the air as Yang's hand ran down her face. "No. Please don't encourage him."

Encourage him to do what? Tell jokes? They were wonderful. Weiss wondered if this was how all normal fathers acted. Fathers who did not expect absolute obedience and perfection from his children. She knew that her own was anything but normal. He would never be caught telling hilarious jokes like Tai did. Weiss could not help but feel jealous over this injustice.

"Thank you, Weiss," Tai said pointedly. "It's nice to know that _someone_ around here has a sense of humor."

"Dad, the problem is that we _do_ have senses of humor," Yang argued. "You're the odd one out here."

"Oh come on, Yang. That was a great joke," Weiss countered. "See, it's a play on words because taking days off normally refers to absences, but for a calendar-"

"I know that. Explaining the joke doesn't make it any funnier. If anything it means it bombed."

Weiss crossed her arms over her chest. "The only thing that bombs around here are your puns. It's a shame you inherited your father's hair and not his sense of humor."

"Oh you did not just compare my puns to his dad jokes."

"You're right. They're incomparable. Tai's jokes are thought provoking while your puns kill brain cells."

"Ah ah," Yang said with a finger leveled at Weiss. "You two have been getting along _way_ too well, and I don't like where this is heading. Don't start calling him Tai. There is no reality, world or timeline where I will ever call you 'mom'."

"What?" Weiss nearly shrieked. "Get your mind out of the gutter. Enjoying his jokes has nothing to do with anything like that!"

"You're right," Yang agreed. "Besides, you have a thing for a certain other blonde-haired, blue-eyed guy, don't you?"

The attack caught her off guard. Was it some sort of revenge for talking about their school work earlier? Or for liking Tai's jokes? Either way she did not appreciate it.

Ruby made some sort of high-pitched noise in response that may or may not have indicated excitement. Really, how had these two come from such a great guy like their father?

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Weiss insisted. She still recalled how Yang had forced her to speak to Jaune alone. She remembered how the sisters had giggled excitedly as she did so.

"Uh huh," the blonde said with an added wink.

"Teenage girl gossip, I think this is where I take my leave," Tai said with a smile. "It was nice meeting you, Weiss. Good luck."

Weiss watched the only sane member of the family begin to leave. She reached out with an extended arm after him. "Please no..." she whispered.

If he heard her it did nothing to stop him. Her only lifeline had gone, leaving her alone with two sisters who had the completely wrong idea about her and Jaune. Deep down she couldn't blame the man. She would have left too if she could. However now she had nowhere to run. Nowhere to escape to. No one else to talk to but the dog who still stood at her feet wagging his tail happily.

This was going to be a long two weeks.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Zweiss is the greatest, purest and most innocent "ship" this fandom has to offer. I love reading and writing it, and there's more to come next chapter.

Taiyang's "dad jokes" are inspired by RWBY Chibi. Weiss' enjoyment of them was inspired by a fan comment on that particular episode. I think it makes sense that she would appreciate them, and have a certain affection toward Tai as a father figure. After all, her relationship with her own father is pretty terrible. Seeing how amazing other fathers are would probably have an impact on her.

And finally, I know that updates have been pretty slow for my stories lately. I started a new job, and it's taking some getting used to. I'm normally pretty tired at the end of the day, and only want to write on certain days during the week. But hopefully I'll get used to things and be able to develop some good routines.

Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed the chapter. Questions, comments and concerns are always appreciated.

Thanks for reading.


	25. Chapter 25

Weiss never knew that noise could be so much fun.

Yelling, arguing, verbal abuse... these were all negative things. They were things which she had experienced growing up from time to time. All courtesy of her father. She had no idea that these things could also be so endearing. That they could be positive. Somehow Ruby and Yang were making it so.

The heiress sat behind the two sisters as they were engaged in a life or death struggle of stamina and skill. At least that's how Ruby had explained it to her. This was hardly a battle against the creatures of Grimm. It wasn't a duel against a rogue huntsman. It wasn't even a spar in Professor Goodwitch's class. No, these were pixelated representations of people on the TV screen. Somehow, someway, the two girls were making the digital avatars they controlled seem exciting. Like there were actual stakes in winning and losing.

"No!" Ruby screamed. "No, Yang! Stop it! Stop it! You cheater!"

Weiss didn't know if cheater was the right word. She didn't exactly understand the strategy and mechanics behind the video game, but it seemed like Yang had found and exploited a loophole. Her ninja character had wound up driving Ruby's own into the corner of the screen, where Yang then proceeded to leg sweep her opponent over and over again until his health bar reached zero. Maybe it was a dirty move, but all was fair in combat. Perhaps if Ruby would strategize better she would not be caught in such a trap time and time again.

Ruby growled as the game once again declared Yang the winner. _Soaring Ninja wins!_

"That's such a cheap move," Ruby complained.

"Yeah? Well maybe you should find a way to avoid it," her sister countered.

The redhead set her scroll down as she glared at her smug sibling. "Well maybe one of us is actually trying to have fun and do cool moves. Not just hitting the same two buttons over and over again!"

"My two buttons beat all of yours? So what you're saying is that I can literally beat you one-handed."

"Not what I meant!"

Though Weiss would never admit it, she felt that Ruby's rage was amusing. To see her get so worked up over a video game was just so... her. It was something that she and Winter had never gotten to experience. Something that they never would. So to see this, to be able to almost live vicariously through the two girls, was fun in itself.

"I bet even Weiss could beat you," Yang said as she glanced back at the girl in question.

Weiss felt a sudden chill run through her body. "Wait, what?"

"Yeah," the blonde continued. "You try so hard to pull off all those complex moves and combos, Ruby. But I bet even a total noob could beat you."

As Weiss predicted, and as Yang had totally intended, Ruby got defensive at the slight. "That's not true!"

Of that Weiss was absolutely certain. She had never played this game in her life. She had never touched a video game period. Such things were beneath her station back in Atlas.

Here in Vale though... here in Patch with Ruby and Yang, Weiss felt completely detached from all of that. She felt more free than she ever had in her life. Clad in her familiar light blue nightgown and with her white hair loose and hanging down, it was all so comfortable and liberating. She had no appearances to maintain. No masks to wear. No prim and proper attitude to convey.

She had never been to a sleepover before. People such as herself, members of the Atlesian elite, did not do such things. Sure, having coffee or lunch with her so-called "friends" back in Atlas were common occurrences. Such gatherings were expected from those such as herself. She was expected to go out and socialize with those who possessed power and influence. As her father said, it wasn't what you knew, it was who you knew.

Such events always had a purpose behind them, whether that purpose was on the surface or not. In a way they were practice for the business meetings and dealings she would undoubtedly have in the future. One thing they never did was have an event simply for fun. Fun for fun's sake was something which Weiss had only begun to experience upon first coming to Beacon.

And fun was exactly what Yang was having, as she continued to egg Ruby on. "Really? What do you say, Weiss-cream? Want to do what we've all wanted to do for the whole semester and shut Ruby up?"

At the beginning of the semester Weiss would have jumped at the opportunity. Now, however, Ruby's noisy behavior had just become a part of her everyday life. A part which she would not give up willingly.

"I don't know how to play," she confessed.

"Whaaaaa?" Ruby exclaimed. "But Primal Combat is a classic! It's like, as old as we are!"

Whatever truth there was to that statement did not change Weiss' response. She had still never played a video game in her life. Just as she had never owned a pet in her life. Coming to Patch and spending time with Ruby and Yang was showing her how much she did not have, despite having all the lien she could ever ask for.

Zwei was currently resting atop her lap, seemingly happy and content as Weiss had her arms wrapped around his body protectively. The dog did not seem to mind the attention and affection being heaped upon him, and Weiss took the opportunity to give it to him as often as possible. Perhaps he was used to this sort of thing growing up with the two girls.

Once there was a time the girl would have balked at the prospect of getting her nightgown covered in dog fur. Now though she would gladly pay the price so long as she got to hold onto the little critter for just a little bit longer. In her mind she had to make up for all of the lost time she had not been able to enjoy having a pet.

"I'm sure you'll beat me at it," Weiss continued. "Why bother?" What she did not say was that moving and playing the game would require banishing Zwei from his comfortable sleeping spot atop her lap.

"It's not about winning though. It's about having fun!"

Weiss scoffed. "Is that why you were just screaming at Yang when you lost again?"

Yang winced, sucking in a breath through clenched teeth. "Ouch. Sick burn from the ice queen herself," she said as she offered a raised palm to Weiss.

The heiress looked at the hand for a moment before raising her own, which Yang proceeded to slap with far more force than was necessary. Weiss winced at the contact, but otherwise did not comment.

"B-b-d-don't worry about that," Ruby stammered. "That's just all part of the fun! Screaming and telling your friends that you hate them is all part of the gaming experience. Tell her, Yang."

"Pretty much," the blonde confirmed. "You should see how some of these people act in multiplayer games on the CCT network. It's like a matter of life or death to them."

At that point was it really just about fun anymore? Was it just a game, or was it something taken far too seriously?

"Here, you don't even have to get up to play," Yang said as she handed the girl her scroll. "This is your controller. On the screen you have different button pads. The left controls movement and the buttons on the right are for your attack moves. It's super simple."

Weiss accepted the scroll and looked down at the screen. Indeed there were icons which represented buttons on it. On the left was something resembling a plus sign, while on the right were four circles of differing colors.

"Okay, now it's time to choose characters," Ruby said excitedly. "Me and Yang usually play as the Soaring Ninja because that's who our Uncle Qrow plays as. He's the one who taught us to play."

In Weiss' mind the image of another older blonde man appeared. She wondered if their uncle was anything like their father. If he was then meeting him would probably be another pleasant experience.

"I don't know who to choose," Weiss admitted.

There were a lot of options. Ruby had gone for the Soaring Ninja again for the reason she had just explained. However there were so many other choices. There was the Valiant Knight. The Arcane Wizard. The Stealthy Archer. Half a dozen other choices, but nothing which stood out to the girl immediately.

Why couldn't there be a fencer character? If the avatar was supposed to be an on-screen representation of herself it would have been nice to have something like that. In the end however she wound up choosing the Valiant Knight. He used a sword and shield, and the fact that she used a sword as well was as good a reason as any.

After making her selection Yang commented. "Going for the white knight, eh? Good choice."

"Valiant Knight," Weiss corrected. "But yes."

"Well yeah, but I just said white because that's the color scheme you chose for him."

"Oh. I didn't know I had a choice."

"Yup," Ruby said happily. "Like my ninja is red and black, but Yang uses a yellow and black version of him. The game's cool like that, so if two people use the same guy you can tell who controls which one."

Weiss hummed, but otherwise did not comment. White was a fitting enough color for her. Even if she had known she had an option she would have gone with it.

"Okay, so," Ruby began excitedly. "The Valiant Knight has some cool special moves he can do. Forward forward hard punch is the combo you use to make him to the running shield bash attack. Oh, back back light punch is the special sword throw he can do. It's the only ranged attack he has. And after the match if you win you have the option to do his finisher, called a Total Annihilation attack. That combo is forward down hard punch up forward."

Weiss blinked as Ruby was explaining the more intricate details of the game. What Ruby failed to realize was that while she was saying words, and while Weiss was hearing them, she had absolutely no idea what they meant. What was forward? What was hard punch? Did Ruby want Weiss to punch her in the head or something? She was sure that such a thing could be arranged if she really wanted to...

"Uh, Ruby?" Yang said.

The younger girl ceased with her explanation and looked over to her sister. "Huh?"

"You lost her."

True enough Weiss was simply staring at the screen where the two characters stood in their respective corners. Her mind had checked out of this conversation almost as soon as Ruby had gone off on her tirade about special moves.

"Oh, heh," the redhead laughed sheepishly. "Um... yeah let's just play."

Weiss nodded, and the match begun.

Sure enough it was as disastrous as Weiss could have predicted. Half the time her character was not even facing the proper direction as Ruby rained down attacks and colorful projectiles upon her. It took only seconds for the game to end, with Weiss not landing a single blow upon her opponent.

The game telling her as much was just rubbing salt into the wound. _Soaring Ninja wins! Total Annihilation!_

Weiss set Yang's scroll-turned-controller aside, content that she had played a video game for the first time in her life. Her hands returned to Zwei, whose fur she began to stroke softly.

"So... that was fun, right?" Ruby asked meekly.

The heiress shrugged lightly as she looked down at Zwei. "I think I'll leave the video gaming to you and Yang."

"Heh, okay. Maybe another time?" the girl asked hopefully.

Truthfully Weiss wasn't that interested in the game. Or any game. Now that she knew what she had 'missed' her whole life she knew that it hadn't been much of a loss at all. She chose to answer diplomatically rather than rain on Ruby's parade. "Perhaps."

The answer seemed to sate Ruby's curiosity, who nodded in acceptance. "What do you think Blake's up to right now?"

If Weiss had to guess, it would be that she was reading alone. For that girl spending two weeks by herself with zero distractions was probably a dream come true.

"Maybe she's spending time with that faunus boy she met at the docks," Yang suggested with a wag of her eyebrows.

Were the two that close? Admittedly Weiss had little interest in whoever that boy was or what kind of relationship he had with Blake. It was especially true as Weiss thought back to how she had been afraid of him at first glance. The strange faunus boy who was running from the police had been coming straight for her. Or at least it was what she had thought at the time. With her past experiences it had not been a large leap to take.

"You wanna call her and find out?" Ruby asked.

"I thought you'd never ask."

Ruby hopped up from where she was sitting before grabbing her scroll from where it rested on her bed. It didn't take long for the girl to begin giggling for some reason as her fingers danced around on the screen. She truly was a strange person at times.

Then to Weiss' surprise, her partner moved to stand in front of her. "Pssst. Zwei," Ruby whispered loudly.

The corgi's ears perked up and he raised his head, much to Weiss' annoyance. It was compounded by the fact that Ruby was now aiming her scroll right at her. In her current state of dress, or rather lack of it, the last thing she wanted was for any pictures or videos to be taken of her.

"Ruby, what are you-"

"Shh," the redhead cut her off. "Don't worry, I'm only getting Zwei in the shot."

Weiss frowned, but otherwise did not comment. She trusted the girl to be telling the truth. In the end it was only Blake who would be on the call even if Ruby did accidentally miss her target. And as roommates seeing her in her nightgown would be nothing that the other girl hadn't seen before.

Unless she truly was with that blonde-haired boy...

However before Weiss could act on the sudden thought she saw a face appear on the scroll. "Hello?" At this angle she could clearly see the dark-haired girl on the other end, but apparently all Blake could see was Zwei. If Blake's reaction was anything to go by it was obvious that Ruby's camera skills were on point. The faunus' face soured, her eyes narrowing and a scowl crossing her lips. "Goodbye."

The screen went blank again as the call ended almost as quickly as it had began. A moment later both Ruby and Yang were laughing.

"Wow, she wasn't kidding about hating dogs," Yang managed between her laughs.

Even Weiss couldn't keep a smirk from gracing her lips. She looked down at the dog who was staring obliviously over to where the two sisters were making so much noise. It didn't matter that he had no idea what was going on or why he was being showered with attention by all of them. He was just so adorable. Even if Blake was a cat faunus, how could she hate a face like that?

"Either way, I'd call that a win," the blonde continued.

"Didn't you call to find out if she was with that... boy?" Weiss couldn't remember his name, and did not find it necessary to refer to him as anything derogatory anymore.

"Eh, knowing her she's probably giving him the cold shoulder if they're even still talking. Blake wouldn't let a boy get between her and her reading time." Yang paused, her head slowly turning to regard the heiress with devious eyes. "Besides, we have someone else we can grill about that right here."

Weiss' brow furrowed in confusion as she returned the elder sister's gaze. "Excuse me? Why would I know anything about their hypothetical relationship?"

"Oh I don't mean theirs. I mean your own."

Her confusion only deepened with the explanation. "If you're suggesting that I am in any way involved with that faunus boy-"

"Wrong boy," Yang cut her off. "But right hair color."

It took a moment, but it clicked. "Oh don't even start with that, Yang."

Yang turned her attention to Ruby now. "Come on, Ruby. Let's give Jaune a call now."

A jolt of panic surged through the heiress' body as she went to move to her feet. In her haste she forgot that Zwei was still on her lap, and she immediately returned to her seat on the bed. However the sudden movement prompted the dog to stir, and he hopped down from his resting place onto the floor. Weiss was heartbroken by the sudden loss.

The loss did present opportunity, however, and Weiss now moved to stand and stare down Ruby. "Ruby, don't you dare call him."

Their leader didn't even look up as her fingers continued to work the scroll. "Why not? We're all friends here."

"I refuse to let him or any other boy see me in this state!"

"But didn't he and every other guy see you in your nightgown the night before initiation?"

"Yeah," Yang added. "What's changed since then?"

She was about to respond, but realized she had no answer. Nothing had changed. At least nothing that she was aware of. Maybe it had simply been that the first night at Beacon had been a huge communal affair where everyone was dressed down for the evening. Everyone there was an equal, and no one gave a second thought to being seen in such a state. However for some reason the thought of Jaune or any other boy seeing her like this made her apprehensive. This was a much smaller and more intimate setting. It simply would not be proper.

"Nothing!" Weiss insisted as she marched over to Ruby and began to grab for the scroll in her hands. "Ruby give me that scroll this instant!"

The struggle between the two tiny teenagers must have been the least impressive thing in the world if Yang's laughter was anything to go by. Neither girl could gain the upper hand, but at the very least a stalemate meant that Ruby could not complete her call. If that meant that Jaune would not be called then Weiss would call that a victory.

Eventually the battle did indeed end in a draw when Ruby declared that she would not call the boy. Weiss had no idea why she would even want to. It wasn't as if he could be pranked in a manner similar to how Blake was. What had been the girl's original plan anyway?

It didn't matter now. The issue was resolved and would never have to be discussed again.

"You don't have to be so shy, Weiss," Yang told her. "I mean, with how much time you and Jaune have spent together this semester you must be pretty comfortable around him, right?"

Weiss frowned. For some odd reasons she did feel unusually comfortable around Jaune. As much as Yang was correct though, she would not budge an inch. "Regardless of comfort there are simply some boundaries that teenage boys and girls must abide by."

She thought the answer would have sufficed, but Yang pressed on. "Still, you've spent a lot of time with him. You ever see him naked?"

The boldness of Yang's question caught her off-guard. Were these the kinds of things that girls discussed at their sleepovers? "What?" she nearly shrieked. "Of course not!"

A moment later her mind annoyingly recalled a moment where she had been close. Following a training exercise in the Emerald Forest and a subsequent trip to a clothes store in Vale, Weiss had purchased Jaune new clothes. His old ones had been ruined because of her, and she felt as if she owed him. He had stripped out of his hospital gown behind a curtain in order to put them on. A very thin curtain. She had insisted that he do so. She had been mere feet away from his nude body.

She was stirred from her memory by the sound of Yang's voice. "Oh my gods you did!" the blonde girl yelled. "You totally did!"

Only then did Weiss feel the slight burning sensation on her face that came with the memory. Yang must have seen a blush on her pale cheeks and interpreted it the completely wrong way. It was times like these that Weiss hated her extremely fair complexion.

"I-it's not like that!" she insisted. She hated the fact that her voice chose to quiver at that exact moment.

"So how big is he?" the annoying blonde continued to press. "Come on. Just between us girls."

"It's really not like that!" the heiress said more forcefully this time. "Get your mind out of the gutter and stop talking about such lewd things."

"Oh yeah? Then what is it like?"

"I didn't _see_ anything."

"But he did get naked for you?"

"Only because I told him to!"

It took less than a second for Weiss to realize her mistake, closing her eyes as she did. At that moment Weiss wished for the first time that she had a different Semblance. She wished that she could turn back time. It didn't have to be years, weeks, or even hours. It only had to be seconds. Just ten seconds and the damage of this conversation could be erased forever.

The silence in the room was deafening, and when her eyes opened once more both sisters stared at her with dumbfounded expressions. It didn't take long for their initial reactions to pass and for both girls to respond.

"I knew it!" Yang yelled again. "I told him that someone as proper as you had to be some kind of freaky pervert!"

Ruby's silver eyes were wide, her expression unreadable. "Weiss, I had no idea you were-"

"No!" Weiss said, this time cutting her off. "No. No. No. We are not doing this. We are not going there. No. Just no. You two will not twist a completely innocent and logical situation into... into... this!"

Ruby bit down on her lip. It was clear that she wanted to say more, but even her energetic and outgoing personality was being cruelly suppressed by the sudden outburst from the heiress.

Yang on the other hand had no such reservations and continued. "So explain to us the completely innocent situation where you ordered your student to get naked for you."

Weiss' face burned fiercely now. It was more than just embarrassment. It was rage. Pure, white-hot rage. "Did you really have to phrase it like _that_?"

The student-teacher connotation made Yang's teasing so much worse. The girl knew it too.

"What?" Yang asked innocently. "He was your student at the time, wasn't he? I remember how much pride you took in him learning his lessons. You acted like such a hotshot about it."

The girl could say nothing to counter those points. Jaune had been her student. She had been proud of him. Especially after she saw him bring down an Ursa Alpha singlehandedly on the field trip to Forever Fall. It seemed like that had been ages ago. Before all of the drama between the two of them had flared up. She had forgotten the immense pride she felt in him becoming a stronger warrior. All because of her guidance.

"There's still a perfectly logical explanation as to why he... he..."

"Got naked for you," Ruby finished for her annoyingly.

A glare at the girl caused her to seal her mouth shut. A shame it did not remove the stupid grin from her face.

"So why don't you tell us then?" Yang asked. "If it's so innocent and all."

She would gladly do so the moment she was able to compose herself. It wasn't as if they didn't know the entire story already. Ruby had been with her on the shopping trip too. A trip where Ruby had been annoyingly teasing her by calling Jaune her boyfriend.

Did these two girls exist for no other reason than to be a personal annoyance to her? Sometimes that was the way it seemed.

After a couple minutes of recounting the story and explaining exactly why Jaune had undressed in the same room as her, Weiss felt as if that would be the end of it. As she had said, there was a perfectly innocent and logical explanation. Now that they had it there was no way they could continue with their childish games, right?

Wrong.

"Wow, so he totally did that for you willingly then," Yang mused, completely missing the point of the story. Weiss was sure it was intentional as well. "That's bold, Jaune. Even I gotta admit I'm impressed."

Weiss folded her arms across her chest in annoyance. "Did you not listen to a single word I just said?"

"I mean I know I once told him that you were into him, but wow. That's really bold."

Her eyes widened in shock and horror, recalling the small bit of blackmail that Yang had threatened her with the other day. "You told him _what_!"

Weiss couldn't believe it. Yang had made her go talk to Jaune after their last exams under the threat of that exact kind of slander. However the blonde had the audacity to do so even when she had already spread such a heinous lie?

"Sure did," the blonde girl said unapologetically. "It was a few weeks ago, back before all that drama. If only none of that had happened..." she trailed off whimsically.

The heiress' face continued to burn with a mixture of anger and humiliation. For a brief moment she wondered if she would have been better off going back to Atlas. She quickly snuffed out such a traitorous thought. No, even these childish antics by Ruby and Yang were better than being around her family.

"Wanna know what he said about you?" Yang continued.

This had to be some sort of trap. However her natural curiosity was getting the better of her. One did not grow up a Schnee without developing a craving for knowledge. She had a desire to know every piece of information she could so that she could better herself and her family's position. It vexed her that petty schoolgirl gossip as included as well.

Knowing that she was playing into Yang's hands, she bit the bullet and spoke. "What?"

"He said..." she started off, but deliberately stopped at that exact moment. "Oh you wouldn't be interested."

And just like that the girl had sprung her trap. She was going to prolong this as much as possible. This was an entirely different kind of torture than she had ever heard of. She couldn't pursue her desired information without seeming desperate. However Yang would not give it up without her doing so. It was a slow and ponderous game in which Yang held all the cards.

"And trust me, this is some juicy info," the blonde continued. "I've been the target of boy's attention for years now, so I know all the signs."

"Brag about it more," Ruby muttered under her breath.

Yang pulled her sister into something which resembled part hug, part headlock. "Aw, don't be sad, Ruby. You'll be all grown up soon and will be fighting off guys left and right. And when you do I'll be right there to fight them alongside you."

The young redhead squirmed and clawed like an angry feline as she broke free from her sister's embrace. "That's not what I meant! I'm not jealous!" The girl adjusted her tank top, smoothing out the wrinkles caused by her sister's aggressive actions. "Besides, right now I'm focusing on my career."

Yang snorted. "Said every unmarried middle-aged woman ever."

"I'm fifteen!"

"For now."

Ruby's eyes narrowed. "What are you implying!"

"Nothing at all," Yang said as she blinked innocently. "Just..."

"Can we focus here?" Weiss said, interrupting the side conversation. "What did Jaune say?"

Yang turned her predatory gaze back to her original target. "Hmm?" she hummed questioningly. "I thought it wouldn't matter since you don't like him."

"It doesn't and I don't. However proper etiquette dictates that you not broach a topic of conversation without addressing it."

"In other words don't leave the girl hanging," Ruby chimed in.

"Shut up!" Weiss snapped. "No more sidetracks."

"Wow. Someone's eager," Yang added unhelpfully.

Weiss was seething. She'd seen political games and schemes back in Atlas which were less painful than this. The next time she was forced to return home she very well might consider bringing these two along with her. They would be able to drive the social elite mad with their own brand of devious mind games.

Weiss heard a soft buzzing sound off to her side. Glancing over briefly she realized it was her scroll. She ignored it and returned to the conversation at hand.

"I am not _eager_ ," she said defensively. "As I said, it's simply rude to start a conversation and then not finish it."

"If you say so." Weiss knew that tone. Yang didn't believe her. However it didn't matter as long as it got things moving once again. "Jaune said..." she started with that annoying and deliberate trailing again. "He said that he thought you were amazing and beautiful."

In an instant the anger and frustration which had been burning in Weiss' face and chest was gone. A lance of coldness shot through her body, and she couldn't help but shiver briefly at the sensation.

Weiss wasn't about to be fooled again. Yang had done nothing but torment her on this evening. "S-shut up, Yang," she said softly. "He did not."

Even if he had it still didn't matter. She had heard lines like that before. It wasn't the first time she had received such a compliment. All of her life Weiss had been praised and heaped with attention from boys due to the perks that came with her family name. It had always just been for show.

However for some reason she actually believed it when Jaune said it. _If_ he had said it. If she were being honest with herself it wouldn't be the first time he had uttered those kinds of words.

Weiss recalled how he had acted when they first met. He had actually called her beautiful once before. It had been the first day attending Beacon Academy. At the time she had written it off as yet another boy who was interested in her due to her family name. Another groveling fool who wanted to get on her good side. The only problem was that he had no idea who she was back then.

He had been completely ignorant of her identity. He had no idea of the weight that the Schnee name carried. He was unfamiliar with the Schnee Dust Company. His weapon did not even use dust.

 _The most beautiful girl in all of Remnant._

That was what he had called her the very first time they spoke. There could be no ulterior motive which she was so used to experiencing. No, if Jaune had called her beautiful back then, it had been because he thought so. Not because he had anything to gain by saying it.

"Weiss?"

The pale girl was snapped from her thoughts by the mention of her name. "What?"

"You kinda zoned out there for a while," Yang said. "You alright?"

Weiss straightened herself up, fixing her posture and regaining her composure as she did so. "Of course I am."

"Your scroll was buzzing again," Ruby pointed out.

She had apparently been so distracted that she hadn't even heard it this time. There was only one person it might be, so it was probably best to leave it alone. "Ignore it," she said simply.

"Alright," Yang shrugged. "And by the way, yes he did."

It took a moment for Weiss to recall what she herself had said, and what Yang was responding to. She shook her head lightly, casting away all of the thoughts which had resulted from it. "So what? Even if he did, complimenting another's appearance is hardly abnormal behavior. For example, your hair looks very nice tonight, Yang."

The blonde laughed, running a couple of fingers through her long thick locks. "Well duh," she said. "It always does."

"See? That means nothing."

Weiss was satisfied that she had proven her point, but Yang did not seem to agree. "You know a guy won't stick around and put up with the kind of abuse you dish out if he doesn't feel _something_ , right?"

"That's not true," Weiss said defensively.

"What part? The abuse or feeling something?"

"Both."

"Oh come on. We all know how you used to be. We don't call you the Ice Queen for nothing."

"A name which I really wish you'd stop calling me..." she muttered.

"And what better way to lose the nickname than to warm up to your favorite student?"

"We're just friends," Weiss insisted.

Yang smirked. "Friends, huh? You know who goes out clothes shopping for guy friends? Their girlfriends."

Before she could respond to the latest slanderous lie, Weiss heard a buzzing sound once more. If what Ruby had said was true, this would be the third time in a matter of minutes. She looked over to where her scroll lay, and this time moved to pick it up.

Sure enough, the word "Father" appeared on the lit screen.

Weiss sighed. If she didn't answer now he would probably keep calling until she did. It was also a convenient excuse to exit the current conversation.

"Excuse me," she said politely. "I have to answer this call."

Her tone must have betrayed how she was feeling inside, because Ruby looked at her worryingly as she spoke. "Are you alright?"

She nodded. "I'm fine," she lied. "I'll take this call outside."

"Aw you don't have to do all that, we don't mind," Yang said.

"No. I think it would be best if I did."

Weiss didn't wait for a reply this time. She was thankful that this cabin was secluded out in the woods, as she had no time to properly dress herself before stepping outside. It would be fine though. The last thing she wanted was to be around others while having a conversation with her father.

* * *

Ruby couldn't help but look on with worry as she watched Weiss exit the room. The moment she had looked down at her ringing scroll her face had changed. Emotion had evaporated from her features, replaced with a cold indifference which Ruby had not seen since early on in the semester. It was like she had gone and reverted back to the old Weiss. The one who wanted nothing to do with anybody. The one who preferred to be alone.

Glancing over to her sister to see if she noticed, Ruby saw that Yang did not seem to share her concerns. At least not outwardly. However the blonde was as perceptive as anyone when it came to reading people. Maybe she was simply imagining things.

"Yang," the redhead began. "Did she seem alright to you?"

"Nope," Yang said before switching to a slightly more humorous tone. "I guess that means we know who _isn't_ calling her."

Ruby frowned. At least now she knew that she wasn't alone in noticing her friend's distress. She was a good friend. A good teammate. She would go to the ends of the world for Weiss' happiness.

"I'm being serious here. Do you think she's okay?"

Yang sighed. As always when Ruby decided that the situation called for a serious discussion, Yang was not far behind. "I'm not sure," she said honestly. "Any idea who was calling her?"

She shook her head. "Nope. But she tried to ignore it like two times before answering."

"But it has to be someone in Vale, right?"

The blonde shrugged. "Maybe. I know there are ways to use the CCT towers to route calls to scrolls or terminals on other continents. It just costs a lot of lien for those kinds of long distance calls."

That idea only broadened the mystery for Ruby. She couldn't think of anyone who Weiss may have hated getting a call from. Truth be told she still didn't know too much about her partner's personal life. She knew about Winter and the undying love which Weiss had for her. So that certainly eliminated the older woman from the conversation. Ruby didn't know what Weiss' relationship with her younger brother was like. She didn't know much about the girl's parents, other than her father being the chairman of the Schnee Dust Company.

Ruby wondered if that had anything to do with it. Maybe she was not the only one who felt the pain of losing a parent.

"What should we do?"

Her sister sighed again. Looking around the room it almost appeared as if she was looking for an answer herself. "If there's one thing I've learned about Weiss over the past semester, it's not to pester her when things are serious. Yeah it's fun to mess with her when she's being her usual self, but in times like this I think all we can really do is be there for her until she decides to open up."

The thought of Weiss opening up would have been laughable if not for the sullen situation in which they sat. The girl did so only on the rarest of occasions. Ruby wondered if things were that bad right now, or if they really were just overreacting.

The sound of snapping fingers earned Ruby's attention, and Yang was looking off at something with a smile on her face. Or rather, at someone.

"Zwei," Yang called softly. The tiny corgi trotted over before sitting down in front of her. "You wanna go see Weiss?"

Ruby looked at her questioningly. "Yang?"

"Weiss absolutely adores Zwei," the girl said as she ruffled the fur on the dog's head. "And who can blame her? He's the cutest dog in the world."

Ruby could tell that he was actively pushing his head against Yang's hand, letting her know that he was enjoying the attention and wanted more. She had really missed the little guy while being away at Beacon. It was nice to be back home for a couple of weeks to see not only her father, but their lovable dog as well.

"If she's feeling bad about something I know for a fact that Zwei will make her feel better. At least short term." Yang stopped petting him, leaving the dog staring at her and silently begging for more. "Go find Weiss, Zwei," she said softly. "She'll pet you."

He had always been an unusually intelligent dog. He understood more than just basic words and commands. So it was no surprise to Ruby that as soon as he had been told to go see the white-haired girl, Zwei left the room in order to find his target.

The redhead smiled, knowing that Yang was correct in her assessment. Zwei seemed to really like Weiss as well. It said a lot about her as a person, or really anyone who loved animals. People could be kind to one another for any number of reasons, most of the time when they had something to gain. However those who were kind to animals could gain nothing in return but the unconditional love they had to offer. Beneath the normally cold and abrasive surface of her partner was a kind-hearted and gentle girl. She needed only the right conditions for that side of her to blossom.

A thought suddenly struck Ruby as she remembered what her sister had said. "Wait, you said short term. What's the long term?"

"I was serious before when I wanted to call Jaune," the blonde smirked. "And now that Weiss is away..."

Ruby's smile faded as she realized what her sister wanted to do. "Yeah, but once Weiss comes back she'll either walk out of the room or get us to hang up on him."

"Oh, I'm not talking about having her talk to him on the scroll. I'm talking about getting him to come here in person."

Red flags began to rise in Ruby's mind. "Yang, dad would kill us if he knew we were inviting a boy over while he's gone."

It hadn't been planned, but their father was being forced to take a short but abrupt trip to Signal Academy for a couple of days. He had said something about a teacher's conference or retreat to plan for the upcoming semester. With him out of the house for the near future it left the three girls alone. Three girls plus one boy if Yang had it her way.

"We're not inviting a boy," Yang argued. "We're inviting Jaune."

"Is there a difference?"

"A very big one."

Ruby wanted to giggle at the implication, but she suppressed the urge in order to defend the boy. "I'm pretty sure Jaune would be insulted if he heard you talk about him like that."

Yang waved off the comment and continued. "Besides, we're not doing anything weird or bad. He's our friend. He's Weiss' friend... and more."

Those last words made Ruby's heart flutter. Normally she was not into that sort of lovey-dovey stuff. She was too busy with her one and only love named Crescent Rose. However when Yang had shared the idea of finally making Jaune and Weiss realize their feelings for one another, she could not help but be excited.

Still, there was apprehension that came with actually going through with the plan. "I don't know..." she said uneasily.

"Come on, Ruby. Don't you want to be around when true love blossoms? Don't you want to be able to say you helped make it happen?"

"If it even is that sort of thing," Ruby argued. "You heard what Weiss said. They're just friends."

"And she's majorly in denial," Yang countered. "Didn't you see how she blushed when we talked about that clothes thing? Or how flustered she got when I told her what he said about her? She's just stupid. Both of them are stupid."

"And I'm pretty sure she would be insulted if she heard you talk about her like that."

"Well she is. At least when it comes to this sort of thing. They can't see what's right in front of them. That's why they need a little push in the right direction."

"And you think inviting Jaune over will do it?"

Yang flashed a predatory smile. "I know that'll do it. Remember those romantic comedy movies we used to watch as kids? All we have to do is get them alone together and _bam_! Instant fireworks."

The idea was growing on Ruby by the second. Not that she had ever truly been against it. There was just the nervousness that came with actually seeing the plan through. If they called Jaune and got him to come to Patch there would be no turning back. So much could go right, but so much could go wrong as well.

"And you're sure Jaune feels the same way?" Ruby asked.

"Yup," the blonde confirmed. "I think his words were something along the lines of, 'it would be great if someone like her were into me'. From that point on I knew it was my mission, no, my _destiny_ , to make those two a thing."

Ruby rolled her eyes. "You know for someone who's supposedly always getting guys attention you're really focused on someone else's love life."

"Oh shush you," Yang said with an added swat of her sister's arm. "You know you want this too. Don't you want to see your two best friends happy and together?"

She did. That small part inside of her which wasn't consumed with weapons and dust and slaying Grimm was totally into this idea. She really hoped that it would all go according to plan.

Yang took her silence as an obvious yes to her rhetorical question and continued. "And that's why we need to cool Weiss' fiery temper with a fresh summer fling."

"A fling?" Ruby asked. "But we want this to last. Not just be a fling."

"It's just an expression. Of course we want it to last. And it will."

"Still, I think what we need to do is melt her icy heart with a warm summer romance. That's the winning strategy here."

"Cool, melt, whatever," Yang said dismissively. "The point is Jaune can do both of those things. You've seen how she acts around him. You've heard how she talks about him. If anyone can make her happy, it's him."

She hoped so. All she wanted was to see the people she cared about happy. If she could kill two Nevermores with one high-caliber sniper rifle, then that made it all the better.

"So," Yang said as she grabbed her scroll. "Shall we?"

Ruby bit down on her lip and nodded.

* * *

With the press of a button she was free once more. At least for now.

The conversation had gone about as well as Weiss had expected it to. Her father had not called simply to say hello. Or to ask how she was doing. Or if she was enjoying her time at Beacon. No, he had called with an agenda. There was always an agenda. Always some sort of ulterior motive. That was simply the Atlesian way of doing things.

Why wasn't she coming home over her break? She already ran off once, didn't she at least have the courtesy to visit her family when she had free time? How dare she want to spend that time with her friends rather than go back to _him_?

Weiss wasn't surprised that her father had tried to make her feel bad about her decision. That he had tried to guilt her into coming home, presumably so he could make his case all over again for why she should study at Atlas Academy over Beacon. The idea was sickening. To not only have to live under the domineering influence of that man, but to be torn away from her friends as well. To have to once again play the part of the perfect and polite daughter, to be a representative of the family. To be courted by all of those fakes and phonies who wanted to use her for her name...

Only _he_ could have made her feel bad about herself at a time like this. When she was supposed to be, and admittedly, succeeding in having fun with her friends. _He_ had to call and ruin it all. Even at this distance, even with the conventional limits of the CCT system, he still found ways of reaching out to her. After all, what was a little bit of lien compared to power, influence and control?

Stinging tears welled up in her eyes at the memories of his words. Weiss was once again happy that she had insisted on taking this call outside rather than in that room. She would not have wanted to let her friends hear that rather one-sided conversation. Knowing Ruby, the girl would have leapt to her defense in a heartbeat. While the thought was heart-warming, it would have only complicated matters with her father.

As she sat upon the top step of the home's back porch, she felt something brush beside her arm. Weiss jumped in surprise, but was quickly relieved to see a familiar face rather than some kind of stray animal. "Zwei?" she asked softly. "How'd you get out here?"

Craning her neck, she looked back to the door at the rear of the house. Sure enough it was still closed, but upon further inspection noticed a tiny flap near the bottom of it. The girl smiled now that she had her answer.

"So you do this often, I take it?" she asked. Rather than a verbal response, Zwei pushed up on her lap so that his front paws pressed against her chest and began licking her face. Weiss laughed, squeezing her eyes shut as her face was assaulted by the tiny corgi's rough tongue. "Your breath stinks," she said between giggles. "But I suppose that's not your fault."

The dog returned to standing on all four of his feet, his short and stubby tail wagging at a speed Weiss could only describe as furious. He stared at her, not making any noise nor any movements beyond the wild movements of his tail. "You're a good boy, aren't you?" she asked him. "I still don't know why you came to see me though. I don't have any food or treats for you."

Zwei gave no reaction. Nor an indicator that he had understood a single word she said. Not even "food".

"If you want some people food I'm sure Ruby or Yang will give you some." She smiled at the thought of them feeding the little guy under the table. "They're troublemakers like that. But I'm sure you already knew."

His tail continued to wag, but now Zwei's mouth fell open and his tongue hung out as he began to pant a little bit. His expression almost resembled a smiling face. It made Weiss smile in turn.

"So... if you're still by me does that mean you like me even without food?"

Still no response. She hadn't expected one in the first place. The current conversation was even more one-sided than the one she had had earlier with her father.

Perhaps it was Zwei's way of responding when he rolled over on his back in front of her, exposing the particularly soft, white fur of his belly. His front paws were curled up before him as he stared at the girl expectantly.

Recognizing the action for what it was, Weiss reached out and began to lightly rub the corgi's stomach. "This means you trust me, doesn't it? Why? You don't even know me. For all you know I could be a terrible person."

As usual the dog didn't react to her words as he basked in the attention being heaped upon him. She knew that an animal exposing itself like that was a sign of submissiveness and trust. It warmed her heart to know that Zwei felt that way after only a couple of days.

"Or maybe you know something that I don't? Can you sense something I can't? I don't know. I've never had a dog before. I've never had any pets. I guess you like me though. I won't complain. I like you too."

Weiss sighed, shaking her head softly in amusement. "Oh who am I kidding. You can't understand a word I'm saying. Do you even have a thought inside that cute little head of yours?" She smiled genuinely. "Honestly it doesn't matter if you do or don't. I'd like you either way. Perhaps I just have an affinity for simple creatures."

Those last words prompted a memory to invade her mind. A memory of telling Winter how her student was little more to her than a pet dog. One who she fed treats to in the form of beef jerky. Now that she had an actual dog to compare him to, they were in fact not at all alike.

 _Amazing and beautiful._

Had Jaune really said such a thing? Why did she long to hear those words from his mouth instead of Yang's? To know that he had in fact said them rather than hear them from Yang? Had he said those words before or after Yang told him that total _lie_ about her liking him? Why did she care about validation from someone like him?

Probably because she knew that he would mean it if he said it. If he saw positive qualities in her it was because he actually did. The thought of such a genuine compliment made her feel warm inside. To know that it wasn't empty. To know that it wasn't for his own gain. It made her feel warm in the same way she experienced the time he had placed his hand upon her own...

She shook her head at the memory. Stupid Yang. Now she was invading her thoughts just like Winter. Was it some sort of older sisterly duty to torment others?

"Still..." she began uneasily as she stared into the loving eyes of the small dog. "Tell me something, Zwei. What would you do if there was a female dog you knew, and Ruby and Yang teased you about her? Would you bark? Would you bite them? Play dead? Or would you just stare blankly and say nothing like you are right now?"

Sure enough Zwei did and said nothing. He simply continued to stare at her. The very sight of him doing so was threatening to overwhelm Weiss' somber mood and send her into another fit of giggling. He didn't even need to tickle her face with his tongue in order to do so.

Receiving no answer as she had predicted, she continued. "And what would you do if that dog just... got you? What if that dog made you open up in ways you never had before? Ways that made you feel afraid because you didn't know what to think about it? Ways that made you feel vulnerable?" She paused as she shook her head lightly before going on. "I know I'm asking you a lot of questions, but they're important to me right now. Would you push that dog away? Or would you let her in? Would you take that risk?"

Weiss' modus operandi was to do the exact opposite. She did not let people in. She did not allow herself to be vulnerable. Life was safer when she was alone. Letting people in just resulted in pain. Whether it was her own pain from being used, or other's pain from being caught in the crossfire of the world that she came from. It had taken Ruby, Yang, Jaune, and all of the rest of them months of effort and all the tenacity of a besieging army to batter down the walls she had built up around herself. The fact that they had done so spoke volumes of their strength and resolve. What did it say about herself?

"They talk about things like romance. As if I'd even know what _that_ looked like." She paused, brushing another bitter tear from her eye as she looked to the dog before her. "Any boy who's ever courted me has only done so out of self-interest. To reap the benefits that came with the Schnee name. And my parents..." she trailed off, thinking back to her childhood. "Well, I can't exactly look to them for an example of a healthy relationship. Their faces belong in a psychology textbook in the section for unhealthy marriages and the effects they have on children."

If Weiss was being honest she would describe the relationship between her mother and father as being as cold as Atlas in winter. There was no love there. If there ever was any it had evaporated long ago. These days they slept in separate bedrooms, under the pretense of her father staying up late working and not wanting to disturb her mother when he finally did go to bed. During the day they rarely interacted outside of meals, with her father in his study and her mother spending much of her free time "gardening". She knew better. Gardens needed water to survive, not expensive alcohol.

"So what would you do, Zwei?" she asked again. "What should I do? How would I even know what to look for or how to feel?"

She didn't know if it was a random occurrence or if the tiny dog simply noticed the trails of tears gently falling down her cheeks, but Zwei once again pushed up against her and licked her face. Weiss' reaction was to laugh once more. "Oh is that how I'd know? A kiss just like in the fairy tales?"

If only things were that simple. In all the stories involving the dashing prince and the beautiful princess, their tale ended with a kiss as an expression of their pure and true love. Unfortunately the world was not quite so black and white. A kiss was just a kiss. It could mean nothing. Then again it could mean everything. Again, she didn't know. She had never been kissed before in any sort of romantic sense.

Weiss grabbed hold of Zwei and held him close to her chest. "You're a great listener, Zwei. Unlike those two." She smiled again thinking of the two sisters inside the house. "I mean, don't get me wrong. I've grown fond of them. They're my teammates. They're my friends. But... sometimes it's easier to have someone who will just listen. Even if they don't understand a word I'm saying." She chuckled softly, more at herself than anything else. "Why is it easier to talk to you about these things than it is them? What does that say about me? Probably nothing good."

As expected, and as she wanted, Zwei did and said nothing. He truly was the perfect one to talk to about these sorts of things. The thought of opening up to Ruby and Yang about these sorts of things was scary. Not because she was afraid they would mock her. Or even because she hated their affectionate teasing from before. She didn't really know why she hated being vulnerable in front of even those she trusted unconditionally. Perhaps it was just some learned trait which had become ingrained in her psyche after growing up in Atlas and the Schnee household. Being stabbed in the back by a trusted confidant was not exactly uncommon in that sort of high society environment.

The realization of what she was doing and what it might look to others struck her, and she shook her head lightly. "Look at me. I'm talking to a dog." Zwei looked up to her before nosing his muzzle underneath one of her arms. "Great. Now I'm talking to myself. What have these people done to me?"

Not that she would change what they had done for anything in the world. Coming to Beacon had been the greatest decision she'd ever made in her life. She had gotten to experience so many thing she would have been denied had she stayed in Atlas. It went beyond simple things like video games or even a pet dog. She doubted she could have found genuine friendship in a place like Atlas Academy. In a highly regulated and structured environment like that, there would be no Ruby Roses or Yang Xiao Longs. Everyone there would be on their best behavior. Everyone would either look upon her name with fear and awe, or try and get close to her for their own advantage. It reminded Weiss of how she had once tried to do the same with Pyrrha Nikos, simply because of her fame and combat prowess. The memory was a shameful one. It wasn't the only one either.

Her own pride had caused her to use Jaune as a pawn as well. She had hurt him for her own benefit. Even if she hadn't intended to cause him harm when it had all started, she had. It made her own heart ache and stomach twist. She had been so different back then. She had been so much like her father. But with the help of all her friends, hopefully, she was better than that now.

"I suppose I should be getting back inside, shouldn't I? We wouldn't want those two getting worried and come out to find me talking to a dog."

Letting go of Zwei, Weiss stood up and walked back over to the home's backdoor. She had asked a lot of questions this night. All of them to a dog who could offer no answers. However she knew one person who could.

With no CCT tower nearby she would have to do things the old fashioned way. Come the next morning she would need a convenient excuse to go into town in order to have her letter sent.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** No Jaune this chapter, but a fair amount of discussing him. Hopefully that'll be enough until the next chapter.

Writing the last scene with Weiss and Zwei was both fun and a challenge. A conversation where only one person can talk is interesting, and unlike someone like Neo, Zwei can't do much to contribute to it. But I feel like if Weiss could open up to anyone not named Winter, it would be Zwei.

Questions, comments or concerns? Let me know.

In any case I hope you liked the chapter. Thanks for reading.


	26. Chapter 26

_Dear Winter,_

 _It has been a while since I've written to you. A lot has happened since the day you left Beacon Academy. Part of me is not even sure where to begin._

 _I told Jaune the truth about my wager with Cardin Winchester. As expected, he did not take the news very well. I was even accused of treating him as a pawn, much as you once said I was doing. While it may be selfish to think about my own feelings at a time like that, the validity of his accusation did hurt. I saw much of our father's mindset in myself with the way I used him for my own personal gain._

 _However, unexpectedly, Jaune went to challenge Cardin to their duel earlier than the schedule planned. I sincerely doubt that an extra week or two of training would have made a significant difference, so perhaps in the end the time of the fight did not matter. However Jaune could not have been in a proper state of mind, and he let his emotions lead him in the duel. He came close to victory. He was a single hit away from defeating Cardin, but an unexpected feature in the boy's mace wound up making the difference. A feature which I was unaware of. I failed as a teacher. I failed to adequately prepare Jaune for what he was going up against. I accept the full blame for his loss._

 _After that Jaune and I made peace, and came to accept one another despite our flaws and the lies we had told one another. I would like to say that we are friends, but at the same time I can't help but feel that things aren't how they used to be. I wish things could go back to how they once were, but after everything that has happened I know they can't. After all, what do we even have in common anymore now that I am not instructing him in swordsmanship? What reason do we have to spend time with one another? Even if we did, how could I look into his eyes and not see a person who I had hurt?_

 _It hurts me to know that I hurt him, and I can't help but feel he thinks the same about hurting me. It hurts to not spend time around someone who has become a true friend. You might think this is dumb, but in a way Jaune reminds me of Klein. It is perhaps that familiarity which breeds the comfort I feel around him. Both exhibit silly and foolish behavior which can make me laugh even when I am not feeling particularly well on that day. To both of them I am not Weiss Schnee the heiress, I am just Weiss. I don't have to act prim and proper around them. There are no expectations. I can simply be myself. Does that make sense to you? Sometimes it doesn't even make sense to me, so I would understand if it does not._

 _On a lighter note, I am currently spending the semester break on the island of Patch with my friends Ruby and Yang. It's a quiet and secluded cabin far enough away from civilization to feel true privacy, but close enough to a settlement to not want for basic human necessities. They have the cutest and most amazing dog in the world named Zwei, and after meeting him I cannot imagine going on in life without having a dog of my own. I only wish that I did not have to wait until I graduate from Beacon in order to have one, as keeping one cooped up in our dorm room all day would be too cruel for such an adorable creature._

 _I met Ruby and Yang's father, who is perhaps the funniest man I have ever met in my life. If he had not already found his calling as a huntsman and a teacher, I would sincerely hope he would be a comedian. Ruby and Yang do not seem to appreciate this side of him, and just how amazing he is. I am tempted to make them see the folly of their attitude towards their father. As you well know, not everyone is so lucky to have one like they do._

 _Lastly, the most important reason I am writing you today is a difficult one to explain. I have questions that I feel only you can answer, and that I am only comfortable confiding in you about. They're about boys. For example, hypothetically speaking, how would you know if you cared for a boy in a romantic sense? How would you know if one cared for you? What would one do to show that kind of fondness? I have never had these kinds of feelings before, and as such proper recognition would elude me. Any affection from the opposite gender has been entirely one-sided on their part, and has come from the sons of wealthy Atlesian businessmen seeking to marry into our family. I do not feel I can look to those examples for a true understanding of courtship, or how to proceed if I did in fact begin to develop feelings for a boy. Keep in mind that these questions are all merely hypothetical, and that there is no reason for concern or alarm._

 _I will be staying in Patch for the duration of my vacation, and will include the address at which you can reach me until I return to Beacon._

 _I miss you, Winter. I sincerely hope that our next reunion will be soon, and that it will not be as brief as our recent one. Until then please take care of yourself._

 _Love,_

 _Weiss_

* * *

Jaune looked down at his scroll, and then back up again. He repeated the process a couple more times just to make sure he was correct. This was the place. It was certainly not what he had been expecting.

When he had received a call from Ruby a couple days ago inviting him to Patch, he had not really known what to expect. He had never been to the island before, but he assumed it wouldn't be that different from the mainland. After all, there were only certain ways in which humanity could survive in a world filled with the creatures of Grimm. Walled settlements and strength in numbers were two of the main ways. This place defied both norms.

The log cabin wasn't a small or simplistic looking home by any means, but it also didn't scream safety and security in a cruel world where each day could be your last. Perhaps there were simply no Grimm on the island? Or maybe it was the fact that two trained, and if he was being honest, two exceptional huntresses lived there? Whatever the case was, this was the address he had been given.

He felt odd wearing what he was in this rustic backwoods environment. However Ruby had been quite specific on his choice of attire. She had told him to wear something fancy. Not too fancy, but something nice. The way she had tried to explain it had been so appropriately Rubyish. She could have just said semi-formal, but apparently that term had been lost on the redheaded girl. Neither Ruby nor Yang were the fancy girly-girl type, so he wondered if maybe it had something to do with their father being strict when it came to these sorts of things.

In any case, Jaune only had one outfit that could be described as either formal or semi-formal. He felt quite stylish in the black slacks and jacket he wore over his blue button-up shirt. He would expect no less from the girl who had chosen the attire for him. Only once had he worn the clothes before, and that had turned out to be quite an awkward situation for everyone involved. He smiled at the memory. It was just one of many that he had come to treasure from his first semester at Beacon Academy.

Wearing the clothes made Jaune wonder what Weiss was up to. He guessed that his invitation to hang out with her over the break had been denied, as he had not even seen her once in the past week. Maybe she was cooped up in her dorm with Blake. Or maybe she had defied all expectations and had indeed gone home to Atlas to visit her family. Winter was there after all, but he had no way of knowing how free the schedule of an Atlesian soldier might be.

Stepping up to the door he briefly looked around for a doorbell to ring, but found none. Instead he opted to give the thick wooden door a couple hard knocks.

A moment later he was answered by the faint barking of a dog, followed by the muffled yell of someone inside. "Coming!" the tiny voice shouted. He could tell it was Ruby who had said it.

After a few seconds the door swung open to reveal a familiar black and red-clad girl. She smiled warmly at him. "Hey, Jaune!" Ruby greeted.

She certainly wasn't wearing anything he would describe as formal. It was only her usual combat skirt. The only difference between here and Beacon was that she did not have Crescent Rose strapped at her hip. How odd.

"Hey, Ruby," he replied. "Thanks for inviting me. There is one question I-"

She cut him off as she ushered him inside. "Come in, come in!" she insisted, grabbing him by his sleeve and all but dragging him with her. Not wanting to risk tearing his jacket he followed her willingly.

The source of the barking was quickly discovered as Jaune looked down to see a small dog at his legs. It was busily sniffing at the boy, and did not seem threatening or mean at all. Not that something of that size would have been a threat even if it had turned out to be a less then pleasant dog.

"Oh, that's Zwei," Ruby said, as if reading his thoughts. "He's a good boy. Say hi to Jaune, Zwei!"

The dog stopped his sniffing and looked up to Jaune, as if he was greeting him in his own canine way and expecting something in return. It was actually kind of eerie the way he followed Ruby's command more like a person rather than an animal.

Jaune wasn't about to disappoint him though, and bent over to pet his tiny head. "Hey there, Zwei," he said as he began to scratch behind the dog's ears. "Nice to meet you."

Zwei pressed his body up against black-clad legs, and seemed to enjoy the feeling and attention. However he was soon shooed away by Ruby. "You're gonna get dog fur all over his nice black pants!" she squeaked.

She wasn't wrong, but Jaune didn't mind. However that had brought his question back to the forefront of his mind. "Actually I was kinda wondering about that," he started. "Why did you insist I wear something nice?"

The girl laughed. It wasn't a humorous laugh. It was nervous. As they moved into another room he was about to voice his concern about that laugh, but was stopped in his tracks by the sight of another two girls. One of whom was entirely unexpected.

Weiss looked up from her seat on the living room couch, pale blue eyes widening in sudden surprise. "Jaune?" she asked. "What are you doing here?"

The way she had asked hadn't quite been accusatory, however it was very apparent to the boy that she had been caught off-guard. Like neither Ruby nor Yang had told her that he would be arriving today. That in itself was curious, however in the past few months he had learned not to be surprised by the two sisters.

He saw how Zwei trotted over to the couch where Weiss sat, hopping up onto it and lying down against the girl. Both seemed quite comfortable with the arrangement, and Jaune was honestly surprised that Weiss had no problem with the dog being so close to her. Especially after all the times she had rather unfavorably compared him to a dog. If it turned out that she was a dog lover, what did that say about him? What did that say about them?

Jaune cast those thoughts from his mind. Thoughts put into his head by Yang long ago. They would cause him nothing but trouble.

He shrugged, looking over to Ruby before returning his focus to Weiss. "Well, Ruby invited me a couple days ago," he explained. "What about you? What are you doing here?"

"I was also invited," the white-haired girl said as she looked over at Ruby, and then to Yang. Her vision lingered on the blonde for long moments, her expression unreadable as she stared. Finally, however she brought her gaze back over to him. "Why are you wearing that?"

It was a question he himself had been eager to ask on more than one occasion, but had not yet had a chance to get answered. It did not seem to be a problem for the outspoken heiress. She would get her answer. He wasn't sure if he should be grateful for her strong will or disappointed than he himself did not possess the same strength.

"Ruby told me to. Well, not specifically this outfit, but she told me to wear something nice. And this is the only nice thing I have in my wardrobe."

Weiss gently bit down on her lower lip and nodded. "I see."

A brief silence overtook the room, but thankfully a certain redhead was well-known for her talkative and energetic personality. "So, the gang's all here!" she exclaimed happily. "Well, minus one cat faunus. And the rest of Jaune's team. B-but a gang is here! Four people counts as a gang!"

"Speaking of Blake, how's she doing?" Yang asked him.

Jaune shrugged. "Haven't seen her all that much," he admitted. "I think she's mostly cooped up in her room all day. The only times I've seen her around the school have been in the cafeteria where she picks up some food and then goes back to her room."

The blonde girl laughed at his explanation. "Classic Blake. Must be hitting those books extra hard. And with her choice of reading material I'm sure she appreciates the alone time too."

He saw how Ruby blanched at Yang's choice of words. Weiss' reaction was much more vocal. "Yang!" she shouted. "Please. I do not wish to have that image burned in my mind."

Jaune had no idea what kind of books Blake liked to read. However if it earned those types of reactions from her teammates he was sure it could be nothing good.

"Yeah, Yang," Ruby agreed. She looked around nervously, seemingly trying to find anything else to focus on but her sister's words. "So, we have this thing," she said as she held up her scroll.

On the scroll's screen was clearly the controller setting for playing video games with. A look over to the TV showed that they had been playing something before he arrived. Jaune had simply been too focused on Weiss to even realize it at the time.

A spark of excitement ignited inside of him as he realized just what they were playing. "Primal Combat?" he asked. "That's a classic!"

"I know right?" Ruby gushed. "It's nice to know some people still have an appreciation for the classics."

He did. A glance down at his side was all the proof he needed of that. Ruby had even said something similar the first time they met.

"I haven't played this game in years. I wonder if I'm still any good at it."

"Wanna find out?"

He nodded as he pulled out his own scroll. "Sure."

"Even if you're rusty, we can just put you up against Weiss first," Yang added, nodding over to the other girl. "She's awful at it."

Jaune wanted to say he wasn't surprised, figuring that Weiss would have never been into playing video games. However at the same time he could not help but be surprised as well. Weiss excelled in everything she did. Even the things she had never done before.

She folded her arms with a harrumph, looking away from Yang. "Big deal. So you've found the one thing in the world that you're better than me at. Enjoy your meaningless achievement."

"Awww," the blonde girl cooed. "Sounds like someone's a sore loser."

"I believe that would be your sister, if experience is anything to go by."

"That's because Yang plays dirty!" the girl in question squawked.

It sounded like all three girls had already been having a lot of fun long before he arrived. Jaune hoped that his arrival would not upset the balance of things.

"Or you play stupidly," Weiss suggested.

"Says the girl who didn't even land a single hit on me!"

"Says the girl who barely passed her Dust Properties exam."

Ruby took a step back, gripping her chest where her heart would be. "Why are we bringing school into this?"

"I'm merely stating that we both have fields in which we excel," Weiss explained. "You have video games, and I have practical, real-world knowledge. It's nothing to be ashamed of though. Wear your talents like a badge of honor for all to see."

Jaune was amazed. He had seen many sides of Weiss. He had seen her be cold. Angry. Arrogant. Even so sad that she had been on the verge of tears. However he had never seen this sassy, sarcastic side of the girl before. It was amazing how much she had changed in a few short months.

Ruby's eyes narrowed. "I can't help but feel you're being sarcastic," she said slowly.

A slow clap sounded, and all eyes turned to Yang who wore a sly grin on her face. "The girl's learning. Way to go, sis. I'm so proud of you."

"Everyone stop being so condescending!"

Jaune couldn't help but laugh. If this is what they had been doing for the past few days, and what they'd be doing until they had to head back to Beacon, then he was glad that Ruby invited him over. Sure, he and all of his friends had their fun at the school. However here in Ruby and Yang's home, away from the campus, there were really no limits on the fun that could be had. No curfew. No looking over your shoulder to see if a teacher was around. They could simply cut loose and be themselves.

He was so happy that he had wound up forging his transcripts. It had been the best decision he had ever made in his life. Not only was he living out his dream, but he was doing it with friends the likes of which he never could have imagined. All of the pain and struggle he had went through in the past few weeks had been worth it. Things seemed to be better now. Even Weiss seemed fairly comfortable in his presence again.

What could possibly go wrong?

* * *

What was he doing here?

Weiss looked on from her position on the couch, staring at the back of Jaune and Ruby's heads as they engaged in combat in that video game they both seemed to enjoy so much. This wasn't right. She was supposed to have more time. She wasn't supposed to see him again until the second semester at Beacon had started. By then she would have had time to hear back from Winter.

But he was here. Now. It wasn't right. It wasn't right at all!

Her focus shifted solely to the back of Ruby's head. Icy eyes would have frozen her stupid head in place had her glare been any stronger. This was her fault. All her fault. Why had she invited Jaune here? Why now of all times? When she had nowhere to escape to? No way of avoiding him?

"No, Jaune!" Ruby cried out. "Don't you dare!"

Look at them. So carefree. So engrossed in that stupid little game they were enjoying so much. Not a single troubling thought in their simple little heads.

"And what if I do?" Jaune countered.

Weiss had no idea what was even going on in the game anymore. She wasn't focusing on the screen most of the time like Yang was doing as she rooted for whoever was winning at the moment.

"No! Nooooo!"

A glance out the window showed the dying rays of the sun peeking through. A colorful swirl of orange, pink and purple painted the horizon. Just what time was it? Jaune had been here for a few hours, but it didn't feel like it.

"Aw, so close, Ruby," he offered apologetically.

As if to put an exclamation point on what had just happened, the game declared the winner. _Valiant Knight wins!_

"Maybe you should stick to playing Weiss," Yang suggested with a point over to the heiress.

The mention of her name snapped Weiss from her thoughts. She looked around, and saw that only Yang was currently looking at her.

Stupid Yang. Stupid blonde loudmouth Yang. Putting all sorts of stupid thoughts in her head. Just like Winter had. Stupid older sisters.

Ruby turned back to look at the girl, a less than happy expression on her face. A sore loser indeed. First she had been thrashed by Yang, and now Jaune. It seemed like the only person in the house the girl could beat was in fact the heiress herself. That wasn't saying much either. Weiss had been more than forthcoming in the fact that she had never played video games before. Even once she had, there was no desire to become good at them like the three other teens.

Yang's words had certainly taken the fire out of Ruby's eyes. There was no more arrogance like there had been earlier in the day. She looked deflated now. Defeated. The way she set her scroll-turned-controller down made it seem like she didn't want to touch another game in her life. It might have been a little sad had it not been so satisfying.

"Yeah well... shut up," the younger girl grumbled.

Weiss smirked at the response, her hand idly petting Zwei as he still lay beside her. The dog had been there for hours now simply enjoying her presence, as she enjoyed his. Someday. Someday she would have a little dog of her own. Much like Ruby treated Crescent Rose as her child, Weiss' dog would be her own. And she would be the greatest mother in the world to it.

The blonde girl's grin deepened before she spoke again. "Sore loser~!" she sang happily.

Well at least she and Yang finally agreed on something.

"Yeah. Well. If I am, and that's a big _if_ , maybe it's only because I'm hungry. I'm not myself when I'm hungry!"

The mention of food woke Weiss' own hunger from its slumber. Had Ruby not even mentioned it she probably would have not even felt it. She had much bigger things on her mind right now.

Pulling out her own scroll to finally check the time, she saw it was nearly seven in the evening. Where did the time go?

"Hey, I know," Yang said as she looked at Weiss. "While Ruby and I get the whole food situation sorted out, how about you and Jaune go take Zwei for a walk? I know you two probably have a lot of catching up to do."

The warm ball of fur beside her shifted, but Weiss was too caught up staring at Yang to care. "What?" she asked.

"But we already walked Zwei this morning," Ruby pointed out. One sharp elbow to her ribs later courtesy of her older sister, the girl changed her tune entirely. "Oh, that actually sounds like a good idea. I'm sure Zwei would love it."

Zwei loving it aside, there was something fishy about this. "Why don't you two come with us?" Weiss asked.

"We, uh, have to cook," Ruby said. She nodded forcefully to emphasize the point.

The heiress raised an eyebrow. "You two?" she asked incredulously. "Cook?"

Ruby shifted nervously in her seat. "Yeah...? What's so weird about that?"

"Are you sure you're not just going to order delivery and say you cooked it again?"

"That was only the one time!"

"Regardless. I'll believe it when I see it. It wouldn't surprise me if Yang got angry at the food for not cooking fast enough and burned the house down with that Semblance of hers."

Ruby and Yang shared a quick look. Neither said a word, but the silence spoke volumes.

"No..." Weiss gasped. "What did you two do when you were younger?"

"Anyway!" Ruby said with animatedly waving arms as she got up. "Here, I'll go get his leash."

"Isn't it a little late for a walk anyway? It will be dark out soon."

"Well you should have thought of that before offering to walk him," Yang shrugged.

"I didn't suggest it! You did!"

"Yeah, well, oops. Zwei heard the word 'walk' and now he's excited." Yang pointed to the corgi next to her. "Look at his face, Weiss. Are you going to disappoint that face?"

Looking over to the dog who now stood on the couch beside her, Weiss felt her chest tighten. To see the way those eyes stared at her. To see the way his tail wagged wildly. It was all too much to bear. She had heard of the term 'puppy dog eyes' before. Seeing them live and quite literally was nothing short of heart wrenching.

It was a dirty trick, even by Yang's standards. She couldn't say no now. She couldn't disappoint Zwei. Not when he looked at her with such expectant eyes.

She ran a hand over his head with a smile on her face. "It's okay, Zwei. We'll go for a walk."

"Yeah," Jaune agreed. "Sounds like it could be fun. I've never had a dog or anything, but there's a first time for everything, right?"

Something else they had in common. Weiss wondered if he liked dogs too. He was a kind and caring enough guy, so he probably did. Considering how she herself had been monopolizing Zwei's time today, she wondered how he and Jaune would get along out on the walk.

"You kids just make sure to bring protection for your alone time together, alright?" Yang said.

In a flash Weiss' head whipped to the side to stare at the stupid annoying blonde. "What! Yang!"

"Got that covered," Jaune said as he patted his hip. Right where his pants pocket would be.

Pale blue eyes widened as her focus shifted to the boy. "J-Jaune!" she screeched in disbelief.

"What?" He turned to his side to reveal Crocea Mors strapped to his belt. Right above the pocket of his blue jeans.

Weiss felt her face grow impossibly warm. Knowing how pale her complexion was, and how obvious her blushing had appeared to Yang in the past, she knew that there was no hiding her embarrassment from the girl.

Her intuition turned out to be correct. Yang laughed. Oh did she laugh hard. More than just that. She was cackling. Cackling like some sort of fairy tale witch.

Weiss had another word in mind. A much harsher word that just so happened to rhyme with 'witch'.

"You two be careful out there," the blonde girl continued. "They aren't too common, but there are Grimm in the woods."

"Right," Jaune said, a hand coming to rest on the hilt of his sword. "If Weiss brings her weapon along I'm sure we'll be able to handle anything." He turned to look at the white-haired girl. "Right?"

She heard his words, but they didn't really register in her mind. She nodded absentmindedly.

"Here ya go," Ruby said as she held up one end of Zwei's leash. The other end was already attached to the dog.

Both she and Jaune went to reach for it. Their hands collided, and the leash fell to the ground as both retracted their arms.

Weiss' hand recoiled as if it had just been burned. Burned by that large, and now ungloved hand of his. She remembered the last time she had felt it. A time when they had both been in a bad place, and he had placed his hand upon her own to offer comfort and support. It had been warm. Like an embrace from Winter. If she was being honest, it had felt quite nice. It had comforted her.

"Whoops," he said as he reached down to pick it up. "Sorry about that, Weiss."

She shook her head. Why was she thinking of things like this now? Why did Yang have to put these stupid thoughts in her head? She couldn't think about perfectly rational and explainable things, like their hands accidently touching, without thinking about them in some sort of romantic sense.

"It's fine," she said hurriedly.

Why was he here now? Why couldn't he have waited until she had heard back from Winter? It wasn't fair. None of this was fair. She wished that Zwei could have in fact understood her when she had poured her heart out to the little guy. She wished that he could have offered her some advice on what to do or how to feel.

"Might as well get going while it is still light out," he said as he began leading Zwei over to the door. The dog happily trotted with him, all too eager to go out once again and explore the wide and amazing world he lived in.

"Right," she agreed. Weiss could already feel her heart rate increasing. She could feel hints of anxiety begin to creep into her body.

"Have fun!" Yang called after them. "We should have something figured out by the time you get back."

Weiss didn't reply. Her brain was running a mile a minute, and it didn't have the time nor the focus to respond to stupid Yang's stupid words.

She only hoped that things wouldn't be too weird being alone with Jaune again.

* * *

For such a tiny dog, Zwei was incredibly strong.

It was taking an effort to keep Zwei pulling Jaune off of his feet as they trekked through the forest around Ruby and Yang's house. The corgi gave brief respites as he stopped to sniff around seemingly every piece of foliage he came across. It made Jaune wonder what he was smelling. He wondered what went through an animal's mind as it did so.

In the end he simply decided to let the dog lead him where he wanted to. Jaune was not familiar with the geography of the island, and had no route or destination in mind. However he would also be sure to pay attention to the directions they travelled so that they wouldn't risk getting lost. Having an over-eager dog as your sole guide would get you lost in a heartbeat. He wondered if Weiss was doing the same. She had been quiet during their walk so far.

A glance over to the girl showed her looking around the forest, seemingly in any direction but his own. Was she uncomfortable? She seemed alright back when they had all been inside the house. He wondered if maybe being out in the forest was bringing back memories. It certainly was for him. Jaune could not help but think back to the 'field trip' he and Weiss had gone on a couple months ago. It had been a time before all of their secrets had been revealed. A time when they were still training for what at the time he had thought was a straightforward and noble goal. Things had been so much easier back then.

Well, easy except for the part where they were attacked by a pack of Beowolves. That was when his clothes had been ruined and he was mildly injured. In fact that incident was the very reason he had the clothes he was wearing now. He hoped that they wouldn't get too dirty as he and Weiss shared in Zwei's outdoor adventure. The girl probably would not be too happy if they were to be sullied in such a careless manner.

Speaking of which, she had seemed surprised at the fact that he was wearing them. He wondered why. And with no conversation currently going on, he felt as if now was as good a time as any to ask. "Hey, Weiss?"

The girl snapped to attention, bringing her gaze to focus on him. "Yes?"

"Back there you asked why I was wearing this," he said motioning to his torso. "I don't look bad in it or anything, do I?"

"What?"

Jaune shrugged. "I don't know. I guess you just sounded, I don't know. Surprised. Like I shouldn't have been wearing it or something."

"No no!" she insisted, her hands waving around a little bit before her. "They look very nice. After all, I picked them out for you."

He figured as much. She wouldn't have deliberately purchased him bad clothes for him to wear. Not unless it was some sort of elaborate prank. He could see something like that from Ruby or Yang or Nora, but not Weiss. She was as straightforward as they came. Any deception on her part had meaning behind it. Motive. After all, he had already experienced that once before.

He shook his head. He didn't want to think back on that. They were past it. The situation was resolved. Over. They were friends again. Both of them had lied without malicious reasons. It was a fresh start as far as he was concerned. A better start.

"You said that Ruby told you to wear that," she said. "Do you know why?"

Jaune shook his head. "No idea. At first I thought it was because maybe their father had strict standards or something. But then I saw them wearing their normal clothes. I haven't even seen the guy around today anyway."

"Tai is away on business," Weiss explained. "He's a teacher at Signal Academy."

That was interesting. Weiss and Ruby and Yang's father were on a first name basis?

"And he is not strict at all," she continued. "In fact he is perhaps the funniest and most laid back person I have ever met in my life. A true joy to be around, I have come to discover."

The surprises just kept coming. Just how close were the two? And why? Jaune figured that Weiss had only known the guy for a few days, but by the sound of it she seemed to genuinely enjoy his company.

"Wow, he sounds pretty cool. I hope I get to meet him before we have to head back to Beacon."

Silence settled over them once more. It gave Jaune more focus to give Zwei, who continued to dart back and forth, right and left, as he explored new things to sniff. More places to relieve himself. Just what other animals were out here that made it so important for the dog to mark his territory? He hadn't seen anything yet, but then again night was swiftly approaching.

Up ahead he could see what looked like a tree line where the forest would come to an end. It would be a welcome change as far as Jaune was concerned. Without the risk of tripping over any branches or roots sticking out of the ground he was far less likely to wipe out and tear his pants. Weiss was also far less likely to trip in her heeled boots.

Once they had left the shelter of the trees, Jaune was surprised to discover a small lake, or perhaps just a large pond, that stretched out further than his eyes could see. In its reflection he could see the broken moon, and at this hour it and the stars were the only illumination the sky provided. It was actually nice to be away from the light pollution that came with living at Beacon or in Vale. Out here on Patch, in the open wilderness, the sky was bright and clear.

"They don't realize how fortunate they are."

Jaune turned to look at the girl who had broken the silence. Her arms were around her torso as she looked over to the reflective surface of the lake.

"Hmm?" he asked.

"Ruby and Yang," she explained. "They don't know how lucky they are to have a father like that."

Jaune nodded. He understood immediately what she was saying and why.

 _I hate my father._

The words from that day still echoed in his mind. How could they not? Jaune and his parents had a great relationship. It may not have been perfect, with them all but expecting him to fail at Beacon and return home, where they would accept him back with open arms. However they loved him. They cared about his happiness and safety. He could never imagine saying that he hated either one of his parents.

He didn't know what to say to her statement. So he simply chose to agree with her. "Yeah."

More silence. He hoped he hadn't said something wrong. He hoped that she hadn't been expecting him to offer more than he had. The last thing he wanted to do right now was offend her.

Thankfully that didn't seem to be the case, as it was she who continued. "How'd you do it?"

It wasn't like her to be so vague. Maybe something really was bothering her more than she was letting on. "Do what?"

"Stand up to him. To Cardin."

Jaune hummed. He didn't quite know how to respond to that. It hadn't been a well thought out or clear decision he had come to. It had simply happened.

"I don't know," he answered honestly. "I was just angry. I was angry and I saw him, and the next thing I knew I was walking up to him and challenged him to the fight."

"Really? That's it?"

Her tone made it sound like she was expecting more than that. He was sorry to disappoint her. He shrugged and simply confirmed her doubts. "Yup. Pretty much. I remember you saying that I should never let my emotions get the better of me, but they did." Jaune rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand. "Guess I was a pretty bad student, right?"

Weiss shook her head, her eyes still locked on the water as she did. "No," she said sadly. "You were fine. It's like you once said, there are no bad students. Only bad teachers."

Jaune remembered saying those words. He had said them the last time they were out alone in a forest. Now that they were back in one, they were being thrown back in his face. It was fitting in a way.

"You did the best you could with what you had. But we've had this conversation already, remember? You shouldn't feel bad about what happened. I don't. If I'm being honest right now, you deciding to train me is one of the best things that's ever happened to me. Not only did I get stronger because of it, but I got you as a friend. I wouldn't trade that for anything."

It was the truth. Since the first day they had met, Jaune had attempted to win Weiss' friendship. It had been a long and arduous affair, and at times even hostile, but in the end they had become friends.

She still refused to meet his eyes when she replied. "I wouldn't either."

He couldn't help smiling at those words. The Ice Queen who had stomped on his feet, punched him in the face, inflicted untold amounts of pain and damage upon him while training, and called him every insulting name she had in her arsenal, was happy to be his friend. The destination had been worth such a long and winding road.

"I'm just curious though, why ask about Cardin? Why now?"

Weiss shook her head slightly. "Fathers," she answered cryptically.

Jaune frowned. "Fathers?"

"Before when we were talking about Tai," she explained. "And thinking about my own father. I never really told you about why I wanted you to beat Cardin, did I?"

She had not. He had always assumed it was just because Cardin was arrogant. He was a bully. His interactions with Jaune had simply provided an excuse to make a wager. Jaune had no idea there might be more to it than that.

"No," he answered. "I don't think so at least."

"Would you like to?"

* * *

Her heart was racing in her chest. Out here with him. Alone. After everything that had happened. After everything that had been going through her mind for the past few days.

The air was chilly here by the lake, but she was shivering for more reasons than just that. She was about to open up again in a way that she only felt comfortable doing so around him. Well, Zwei too. However the corgi didn't really count when he could neither comprehend her words nor offer any advice in return. She had to know though. She had to pick his brain for her own sake. Maybe, just maybe, she would be able to find some sort of strength to face the executioner's blade which hung over her head. The problem that she would eventually have to confront in the future.

"Yeah," he replied. "I'd like to if you're okay sharing it."

Of course he would have to add that last part. It was so like him to be considerate of others feelings.

She shivered again, her arms tightening around her body. "Well, you see-"

"Hang on," he interrupted. Looking over to him, Weiss saw how he fumbled around with the leash in his hands as he began taking off his black jacket. A moment later he was reaching out to her with it. "Here, take this."

In a flash she realized what had just happened, and what he was attempting to do. She shook her head nervously at the idea of it. "No, I'm fine, really."

"You are not," he said as he stepped around and draped his coat over her shoulders. "You're shaking. I didn't even realize it would be colder by the water because I'm wearing this." He smiled genuinely at her. "I may not be the strongest or the brightest guy in the world, but my parents did raise me right."

The jacket may have been light, but it felt heavy on her shoulders. It smelled like him too. Had he worn cologne for the occasion? Or was it just simple deodorant? Whatever it was it was nice.

She nodded in response to his kind words. "Thank you, Jaune," she said meekly.

It was a classic gesture of courtship, and it was not lost on her. It was a far more genuine action than she had ever seen from any of the elites back in Atlas. This simple boy from some little village in Vale was more of a gentleman than all of the wealthy, self-proclaimed gentlemen in that cold and icy kingdom.

Weiss was still shaking slightly, only now it was for a reason other than the cold temperature. Again, such a simple and innocent act carried heavy undertones with it. Ones which only existed because of the teasing of her friends and her sister.

 _He said you were amazing and beautiful._

"I'm sorry for interrupting," he said as they walked along the shore. "What were you saying?"

What _had_ she been saying? It took her a few moments to remember. Cardin. Her father. All of that.

Taking a deep breath, she continued. "The truth is, I saw a lot of my father in Cardin," she explained. "My father is a bully just like him. So when I saw him bullying you, I wanted you to fight back. I wanted you to win. I thought that maybe, just maybe, if you did then that meant that I could fight back too. Maybe I could win." Her next breath came out shaky, but she held herself together in a way she hadn't been able to with Zwei. "I thought that maybe if I helped you win then I could feel better about myself too. I could win too for once. Even if it would only be by proxy."

There it was. The last of her cards had been laid out on the table. The last of her secrets. It wasn't a malicious one either. In the end, after all of the dust had settled and the smoke had cleared, none of her motives truly mattered anymore. However she thought that by getting it out in the open that maybe he would be able to offer some sort of advice to help her.

Instead he responded in a way she hadn't expected. "Oh. Um, I'm sorry for losing then."

Her hands curled up into fists. How could he even say such a thing? How selfless was this boy?

"Don't say that!" she insisted. "I used you for my own ends and _you're_ apologizing to _me_? You should still be furious. Why aren't you?"

 _Stop being so nice to me,_ she added silently. She kept those particular thoughts to herself.

He shrugged. "I don't know. I mean, there's nothing to be upset about anymore. It's over and we both said we were sorry about what happened. We both made mistakes. Why harp on the past instead of looking to the future? A better future?"

A better future. Her heart continued to pound in her chest. He wasn't upset with her about the bet. He wasn't upset about her using him as a proxy to fight her own war. Could it really be so simple? Could he really just want to move on with their friendship? Or was there more than mere friendship now? Was Yang right?

"Because I'm a coward, Jaune," she told him. "A coward who used you for my own gain. In the end I wound up with nothing. In the end you didn't even need my help to stand up to your own bully. You did so without me there. You did so when you were still angry with me."

The boy stopped in his tracks, turning to look at her sternly as he did so. "That's not true at all, Weiss," he said. "I couldn't have done it without you. Without everything you taught me. I only came close to winning because of you."

"Maybe," she admitted. "However in the end it was your choice to face him, and you did. You did it alone. You weren't afraid to face your bully like I still am to face mine."

"No, that's where you're wrong. I may have been angry, but I was still afraid."

"Then why did you do it? How?"

He shrugged again. "Well... somebody once told me something. She said that courage isn't the absence of fear, but the mastery of it." He chuckled briefly at the words. "But I guess you should expect that kind of wisdom from the four time Mistral Regional Champion, shouldn't you?"

He was talking about Pyrrha. She had spoken those words to him. Weiss briefly wondered why. In what context had she said that?

"Is that so?"

"Yup. Pretty wise words I'd say. I guess it means that all of us are always afraid of things. But that's the only way you can ever be brave then, right? I think you can be brave too, Weiss. I think you already are. You just have to show it."

Courage. Fear. Doubt. The words spun in her head for more reasons than one.

Why did he have to be so kind to her? Why did he have to make her feel the way that she did around him? Why did he have to encourage her? Why did he have to fan the embers which burned inside of her frozen heart?

 _He said you were amazing and beautiful._

The scent from his jacket lingered in her nose. Why did he have to give it to her? Why were Yang's words still stuck in her head?

 _Winter... I can't do this alone..._

Why did he have to be here? Why couldn't Winter have saved her again?

 _I'm not always going to be around to save you, Weiss._

The words echoed in her mind. Words her sister had spoken before she ran away to attend Beacon Academy. Before she had found the courage to face her father's own proxy. The proxy which had marred her once flawless face.

Winter wasn't coming.

"Weiss?"

She heard him speak but she was too lost in her own thoughts to care. Her heart raged against her ribcage.

 _He said you were amazing and beautiful._

That was before. Before all of their drama. What if he didn't think she was amazing and beautiful anymore?

 _How would you know if you cared for a boy in a romantic sense?_

She still didn't know.

 _How would you know if one cared for you?_

 _A guy won't stick around and put up with the kind of abuse you dish out if he doesn't feel something._

Did he? Did Jaune care for her in that way? Is that why he was still around? Is that why his forgiveness came so easily?

 _What would one do to show that kind of fondness?_

Zwei's suggestion returned to her.

 _A kiss just like in the fairy tales?_

 _If only things were that simple._

 _These questions are all merely hypothetical._

"Weiss, are you okay?"

 _I'm a coward._

 _No._

 _I'm a Schnee._

 _Do something. Do something!_

 _Courage isn't the absence of fear, but the mastery of it._

 _You just have to show it._

Her mind went blank.

She grabbed hold of his face and pressed her lips against his.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** To paraphrase Gabe Newell: After fifteen months in development, hopefully it will have been worth the wait.

An awful place to leave a cliffhanger from a reader point of view. But a fun one from my own.

As always, I want to thank everyone who's still around at this point. I know there are a lot of you who have been around since day one, and a lot who have only recently found this story. I truly appreciate all of you, and your response to this story has been nothing short of awesome. So again, thank you for all of your support.

Questions, comments or concerns? Let me know.

I hope you liked the chapter. Thanks for reading.


	27. Chapter 27

**Author's Note:** You didn't really think I'd leave you hanging for a month, did you? Or even two weeks? Of course not! It's not like I had planned to update my other story first before this one, and that I was totally overwhelmed by the reaction from last chapter. So overwhelmed that I was inspired to write this and get it out as soon as possible. No. Not at all!

Enjoy.

* * *

Soft. Warm. Even a little bit moist. These were the thoughts which invaded Jaune's mind as the girl in front of her grabbed him and brought his face down closer to her level.

Her tiny hands pressed down on his cheeks tighter than a vice grip. If not for his Aura his head may very well have been squashed like an over-ripe melon. It might have actually hurt if his mind wasn't completely focused on the lips of the heiress before him.

It lasted for only a couple of seconds before Weiss pulled away from him, but it felt like an eternity to the young man. A swirl of complex emotions swirled in that vortex of eternity. Shock. Bliss. Fear. Amazement. Worry. No one feeling was any stronger than the other. The lightheadedness which accompanied it put any of his past motion sickness episodes to shame. He felt as though he was going to pass out. The pressure she had applied to his face had not helped either.

His mouth hung open as he stared wide-eyed at Weiss, who was still mere inches from his face. As if he was looking into a mirror, icy blue eyes stared back at him equally wide. Equally scared. Equally shocked. Her lips glistened in the moonlight as a result of their contact with his own.

Those lips of hers finally moved. "I..." The word sounded more like a gasp than anything intelligible. Like a hushed whisper not meant to understood.

Jaune's brain had to work overtime in order to form a response of his own. His tongue felt like gelatin. "W-Weiss?" It was the only thing he could come up with on such short notice.

Her head shook, its movements incredibly short and quick. Almost as if she was shaking. "This was a mistake," she whispered again. "I'm sorry."

In a heartbeat she was off. He hadn't even seen her turn, but the next thing he knew she was running off at a speed which even Ruby would be impressed by. She quickly disappeared back into the tree line of the forest which they had trekked through, the dimly lit night sky doing nothing to help see into it.

His legs couldn't move to follow her even if he had wanted to. He was still in shock. Every part of him. His brain couldn't think. His body couldn't walk. He was having a hard time even lifting a hand up to his chest to feel his heart thudding against his ribs. It felt like he was going to pass out at any moment.

He couldn't do that, however. Finally remembering that he held something in his hand, he looked down at the dog who stood next to him. A pair of dark eyes looked back up at him, and Zwei's tongue hung out of his mouth as he panted. If Jaune were to pass out right here and now there was no telling what would happen to the little dog. If something did, Ruby and Yang would never forgive him. And from what he had seen, Weiss wouldn't either.

Weiss. _Weiss._

What had just happened there?

The cogs in his mind finally started to spin once more. Basic things like thought and reason were finally returning to him. What had just happened moments ago? What had Weiss done?

She had kissed him. She had grabbed him by the face, and pressed her soft, warm lips against his.

A part of him didn't believe it. Had she tripped and tried using him to regain her balance? Had she stumbled and fallen into him? After all, Weiss hadn't been looking too well beforehand. Jaune recalled his concern for her seconds before she had... kissed him. She may very well have just been sick. Her hands did feel unusually warm when they had touched him.

But... no. Why would she have called it a mistake if she was sick? Or if it had been an accident? And why would she have run off at a pace which most professional sprinters would have been jealous of? In heels no less!

No. This made no sense. Weiss had just kissed him. She had done so deliberately and willingly. Every ounce of him wanted to pump his fist in the air and scream with delight. Jaune had never been kissed by a girl before. Well, at least one that wasn't his mother or sisters. This was it. This was his first kiss. With Weiss Schnee of all people.

However he couldn't bring himself to celebrate it. Not when she had called it a mistake immediately afterward. Not when her reaction to it had been to flee from him. It may have been his first kiss, but he didn't think he was so bad that he could actually scare a girl off because of it.

Jaune brought a hand up to his forehead. Some part of him was extremely warm, and he couldn't tell whether it was his hand or his head. "What just happened?" he asked aloud to no one in particular. He looked down at the dog, hoping that maybe he would offer some sort of explanation. "What did I do wrong?"

Zwei said nothing. He just stared. He stared with his tongue out, panting happily. He knew it was just the shape of the corgi's mouth, but it almost appeared as if Zwei was smiling.

Well, at least one of them had something to smile about.

"Weiss... what's going on?" he whispered again.

He didn't know what to do. At this very moment the girl was probably on her way back to Ruby and Yang's place. He knew that he would eventually have to follow, but he had no idea what would happen when he finally did. He was stuck on Patch for at least tonight. He wasn't about to make the journey back to the island's main settlement with darkness closing in fast. That meant for one uncomfortable and torturous night he would have to spend time in the same house with Weiss.

Worry began to gnaw at his stomach at the thought of it. Everything had been so close to being great again. They had become friends once more. The air had been entirely cleared of their past lies and deceptions. And now... this. She had kissed him. She had called it a mistake.

Why couldn't his life ever be easy?

"Okay. Think, Jaune," he spoke softly to himself. "You were taking Zwei for a walk with Weiss," he said as he glanced down at the dog below him. "You were talking about stuff. About her father. About Cardin. All that stuff. And then... she kissed you."

He still couldn't believe it had happened. The feeling of her... the taste of her, was still fresh on his lips. His tongue unconsciously ran over them to remind himself of the sensation once more. Why, though? It was the most important question out of the many which were on his mind right now. Why had she done so?

It wasn't as if he was complaining or anything. Far from it. From the very first time he had laid eyes on her he thought she was beautiful. A girl who was out of his league. Someone he desperately wanted to befriend. Then had come the fateful day where she had all but forced him into a training regimen in order to one day fight Cardin. He would be lying to himself if he said that in their time together he hadn't come to appreciate that beauty even more. Or if he hadn't come to appreciate her personality even more as he won her over with his own.

Jaune remembered what Weiss' own sister had told him. Winter said that Weiss acted unusually emotional around him. She did and said things which were unlike the girl she had grown up with. All of it was a result of his interactions with the heiress. Simply being himself. Joking with her. Teasing her. Trying so hard to get her to let her guard down so that he could see the real her. He had succeeded on multiple occasions. Was this the culmination of all of that work?

Had Weiss wound up falling for him?

His father did always say that all you needed was confidence. However it was his mother who said that all you needed to do in order for people to like you was to be yourself. Jaune knew who he was. In reality he was the fool which Weiss so often called him. He was the class clown type. He was the kind of person who could joke about himself. All of that went on display in his interactions with Weiss. All of that was the polar opposite of the girl.

There was another saying too. Opposites attract. He couldn't imagine a personality more different from his than her own. Despite their similarities with wanting to live up to their family names, they had turned out to be completely different. Now that he knew about her father, he could imagine just why this was the case.

A long time ago he had made up his mind not to get his hopes up. He would not pursue a girl who was _that_ far out of his league. Such desires would only end up bringing anger and heartbreak to a young man such as himself. It was better to not see her as the beautiful, talented, and amazing girl that she was. All she was to him was a friend, just as that's all he was to her.

But if things were different now, if she suddenly saw him as more than a friend...

Yang had teased him about it in the past too. She had used awful puns and everything. She had once told him that Weiss wouldn't have done so much for him if she didn't feel something. Back then Jaune had argued that it was Weiss trying to help out a fellow huntsman and his team. That was before he knew the truth. What if Yang was right though? What if she secretly knew something about her teammate that he didn't? What if Weiss really did like spending time with him for more than just training reasons?

No.

She had said it was a mistake. Like she had dangled a piece of meat in front of a dog only to pull it away mere inches from his mouth.

It was cruel. It was why he had never tried to pursue Weiss romantically after their first few interactions together. Such pain was necessary to avoid. The pain he was feeling in his chest right at this very moment.

Why did she have to wake up these feelings which he had squashed so long ago?

"Weiss... what do I mean to you?"

His earlier comparison to a dog caused him to look once more at Zwei. Or perhaps it was the low growl which was sounding from his mouth.

"Zwei?" he asked softly.

The fur on the corgi's back had gone stiff. His whole body had, and his tiny head was peering at the trees. Perhaps he saw something that Jaune couldn't, like a rabbit or a squirrel.

Jaune tightened his grip on the dog's leash. He didn't want Zwei to get loose and wind up in a fight with some wild critter.

"Easy, boy," he said as he hunched over to whisper into the dog's ear. "It's okay. Good boy."

It did nothing to ease Zwei's demeanor.

It wound up doing nothing to ease Jaune's either.

A pair of glowing blood drops appeared in the woods. Jaune felt his heart skip a beat.

There were Grimm out here.

Emerging from inside the tree line was a single large creature, trudging forward on all fours. An Ursa.

He could try to run, but right now his back was against a lake. He'd have to run to the side before he could make a break for the woods, which would give the Ursa valuable time to try and cut him off.

Or he could stay and fight. He had done this before. He had slain an Ursa singlehandedly. This shouldn't be a problem. Only, it was. The last time he hadn't had custody over a tiny and adorable dog.

In any case he could not just sit there and do nothing. He had already wasted valuable seconds in indecision as the beast lumbered closer. There was only one course of action he could take.

Drawing Crocea Mors from its sheath and deploying his shield, Jaune gave an order as if he was leading his team into battle.

"Zwei," he said sternly. "Sit. Stay."

Why couldn't his life ever be easy?

* * *

"Okay so here's the plan. We tell them we made this pizza from scratch."

Ruby sighed. "Yang, I really don't think that's gonna work. Especially when Weiss just called us out on it."

"Ah ah," Yang said with a wag of her finger. "She specifically mentioned delivery. This isn't delivery," she said pointing to the frozen pizza's box. "See? It even has the slogan on the box."

"I really don't think she'll care about the difference. All we're doing is sticking a couple pizzas in the oven."

"Which still counts as us cooking. We're preparing food in the oven. That's like the textbook definition of cooking."

Ruby really didn't feel like arguing semantics. She had no idea how much time they had left before Weiss and Jaune returned from their walk. She hoped that everything was going alright. She hoped that Yang's super secret plan was working.

The redhead was stirred from her thoughts when she heard the front door open. A surge of panic flooded her body. They were back sooner than expected. The evidence of frozen pizza was still lying on the counter because she could never remember what temperature to cook at or how long to cook them for. The boxes would give everything away. She had to hurry and throw them out!

Before she could rush back to the kitchen, however, she saw a single person step inside. Weiss' face was flustered, and her chest heaved from breathlessness. To her credit, however, the heiress shut the door behind her with all of the grace and dignity which Ruby had come to expect from her partner.

Afterward Weiss stood there. She stood doing nothing. She said nothing. All she did was silently stare down at the floor.

Wait, was that Jaune's coat hung around her shoulders?

"Weiss?" Ruby asked. "Where're Zwei and Jaune?"

Her partner whispered something unintelligible.

"What?"

She mumbled something again. It was a little louder this time, but Ruby still couldn't understand a word she had said.

Ruby took a step forward. "I can't hear what you're saying, Weiss."

The white-haired girl's head snapped up, her pale blue eyes wide. "I kissed him!" she snapped.

The younger girl felt a chill run down her body, and her mouth opened to speak. Instead all that came out of it was a gasp.

It was Yang who had to fill the silence in the room left by Ruby. "You what?"

"I kissed him!" Weiss repeated again forcefully. "I kissed him, Yang! What do I do?" She shook her head frantically. "What! Do! I! Do!"

The heiress pressed her hands down on her head as she began to pace back and forth. Ruby was frightened. She had never seen this side of the girl before. Even back when Weiss had found out that Blake was a former White Fang member, her fear and anger had come out differently than this. It had been a cold and pragmatic response back then. A logical reaction from someone who had feared for their life and acted accordingly. This though...

This was nothing short of panic.

"I should go back to Beacon tonight," Weiss continued. "No, he'll find me there eventually. I should go to Atlas. I can stay with Winter. She'll tutor me in her downtime. She can finish my education. I'll even pay her if I have to." She smacked herself on the forehead. "What am I saying? She doesn't need the lien. She doesn't even want it! That's why she joined the military in the first place!"

Okay, this went beyond simple panic. This was a full-blown freak out. Ruby herself was beginning to freak out too in response to how her partner was acting. The girl who was always so calm and collected had completely lost control.

All because she had kissed Jaune.

The words still sounded alien in Ruby's head. Weiss had kissed Jaune. Not the other way around. Weiss had made the move. She had taken the initiative. It was so very... Weiss-like.

Thankfully Yang was here to help. Ruby wasn't sure if she would be able to do or say anything had she been dealing with Weiss alone.

"Okay, Weiss?" Yang said as she stepped forward to place her hands on the shorter girl's shoulders. "Weiss. Let's just take a step back here and calm down, alright? Can you do that?"

The other girl nodded quickly. "Okay. I can do that."

"Take a deep breath with me." Yang inhaled loudly through her nose. "Just like this."

Weiss nodded once more. "Okay." She mimicked the blonde's actions. "Now what?"

"Now release through your mouth."

She did so. "Now what?"

"Do it again."

"Okay."

The two went back and forth breathing for the next few seconds. Weiss did not appear to be calming down all that much if the force and tempo of her breaths were anything to go by. Still, doing this was probably better than doing nothing at all.

"Alright," Yang smiled as she kept her hands planted on Weiss' shoulders. "You kissed Jaune?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"I don't know."

Yang brought a hand up to touch her face. Ruby couldn't tell if she was worried, frustrated, or something else entirely. "Okay. What did he do?"

"I don't know."

"What do you mean you don't know?"

"I don't know! I ran away!"

Yang blinked in surprise. It took a moment to compose herself before speaking again. "You ran away?"

"Yes."

"Okay... did he say anything before you did?"

"I don't remember."

These nothing answers were clearly getting to Yang if her closed eyes and sigh were anything to go by. "Did you say anything before you ran away?"

"I told him it was a mistake!"

The blonde released Weiss from her grip, and the loud sound of her palm slapping against her forehead resounded throughout the room. "You... what...?"

"I don't know!" Weiss practically screamed. "I didn't know what to do! I wasn't thinking!"

"Obviously!" Yang shouted back in frustration. She shook her head softly before unleashing a barrage of pent up aggravation. "If I could use your own vocabulary for a few seconds, Weiss. You're a dolt! A dunce! A fool! An idiot!"

"Shut up!" Weiss yelled back. "I know!"

Yang threw her hands up in the air. "Well would you look at that!" she said as she turned to Ruby. "She finally knows something! I guess there really is a first time for everything!"

"Shut up!" she repeated.

The tension in the air was palpable. Ruby knew she had to step in. It was more than just being the leader of these girls. She was a sister and a friend to them respectively. The absolute last thing she wanted to come out of their time together on Patch was for the team to become a shattered mess. To have their friendship become a mess.

"Okay, how about we all calm down now," Ruby said as she stepped between the two girls. "Let's maybe try the whole breathing thing again?"

"I don't need to breathe!" Weiss declared. Obviously the girl wasn't thinking straight if such a scientifically inaccurate statement could leave her lips.

Thankfully Yang seemed to have gathered her own senses. It was truly a horrifying day when it was Weiss who was giving into her anger, and Yang was the one with a cool head.

"Weiss, let's try to work through this," the blonde said. "You kissed him."

Weiss nodded. It was less forceful this time. Less panicky. Maybe she was beginning to calm down.

"Why did you kiss him?"

Ruby had a feeling she knew _why_ in the broadest sense of the term. She and Yang had planned for Weiss and Jaune to see how perfect they were for each other. She knew that her sister shipped them hard. Tonight was supposed to be the next step on their road to becoming a couple. Apparently though that plan had fallen apart completely.

"I... I wanted to see if I felt anything for him," Weiss explained.

Weiss at least had an answer for this question. That was good. That was progress. The last time she had been asked that same question she hadn't known why. The babbling mess of a girl from minutes ago was not the Weiss she had come to know.

"Well, what do you feel now?"

"Nausea."

Yang winced. "Wow, he was that bad?"

"No!"

"That good?"

"I don't know."

The frustration was beginning to build back up as Yang threw her arms out from her sides. "Come on, Weiss. What _do_ you know?"

Pale blue eyes squeezed shut. "I don't know!"

Well... maybe it was a bit too early to say that Weiss had recovered completely.

"Well you know, this could actually work," Yang smiled. "He can be vomit boy and you can be vomit girl. See? You two were made for each other."

"What does that even mean!"

Ruby stepped back to sidle up next to her sister before leaning into her ear. "Yang, she wasn't there for all that."

The blonde frowned. "Oh. Right."

"No, seriously," Weiss said as she leveled a finger at the blonde. "I will not have you bestow some gross weird nickname on me. I am _not_ in the mood to deal with that sort of thing tonight."

Ruby found herself agreeing with the girl. "She's right, Yang. I think now would be a good time to give her some advice. And you're the best one to give it since you have all that experience with boys."

She saw how her sister balked at being called upon for such a thing. It wasn't like to go silent like this. Especially when it was an opportunity to boast. _Especially_ when it was an opportunity to boast to Weiss of all people. Yang did love to teasingly put the girl in her place. It was in fact one of the many benefits of her master plan to get Weiss and Jaune together.

Silver eyes narrowed when the girl next to her hesitated. "Unless," she said pointedly. "You were just lying before."

Yang threw her hands up defensively in front of her. "Hey, don't turn this around on me," she said hurriedly. "I didn't do anything wrong. Weiss going and kissing Jaune this early wasn't part of the plan."

It felt as if the temperature in the room dropped fifty degrees. A look over at Weiss showed that the girl's face had darkened. Her tone matched it. "The plan?"

Weiss' voice was the cold rasp of death itself. Ruby found herself taking a couple of steps away from her sister without even realizing it.

"Uh..." was all Yang could muster in response.

After another step back Ruby felt as if it was safe to chime in. "Oh, Yang. You just blew it..."

Icy eyes burned paradoxically as Weiss' arms whipped out in a flash. Yang was ensnared by perfectly manicured fingers as they squeezed down on the blonde's shirt.

"I knew it!" Weiss screamed. "I knew you two were up to something!"

If Ruby wasn't already familiar with her partner's Semblance, she would have sworn that her eyes were about to turn red and her hair be set ablaze like her sister's. Weiss was furious. It showed in her voice's volume as well as her actions.

"This is all your fault!" she continued as she shook Yang wildly. Her grip was strong enough to crush boulders, and it was a wonder that the blonde girl's shirt hadn't been torn off completely with the fervent shaking. "You did this to me! You made me like this!"

If Ruby had been scared before, she was terrified now. She had never seen such violence out of Weiss in the months she had known her. Not in any kind of sparring match. Not even against the Grimm. Weiss looked as if she was ready to tear Yang's head off at a moment's notice. A part of her couldn't blame her partner for feeling that way.

"Why!" she screamed as she continued to shake. Ruby hoped that Yang's brains weren't being scrambled at that very moment. "Why would you do this to me! Why! Why!"

"Because I want you to be happy!"

Weiss stopped her motions in an instant, panting heavily as she looked up into the lilac eyes of her teammate. Her hands still gripped the front of the girl's shirt tightly, however. "What?" she whispered harshly.

* * *

Weiss was more than familiar with people having ulterior motives when it came to their actions regarding her. She was an heiress to her family's company. A tool to be used by her father. Someday she may have even been thrust into an arranged marriage with some other powerful family in Atlas. Every time it was for someone else's benefit, and never her own. Never had someone's plots and schemes been for her own good. Never had someone else's plans been for her own happiness.

Until now.

Yang's eyes were hard as they looked back into her own icy orbs. Gone was any trace of playfulness or faux guilt which had appeared in them upon the revelation of her plan. No, this was serious Yang. Weiss had dealt with serious Yang on a few occasions before. The first time had been about Ruby. Then the whole Blake debacle down by Vale's docks. Then there had been the start of a conversation about Jaune before that had been interrupted. Every time the blonde girl decided to act her age and show her maturity, it had to do with someone she cared about. Someone they all cared about.

She had no reason to believe this was any different.

"What do you mean?" the heiress asked.

Yang glanced down at the hands which still held onto her shirt. "Feel like letting go yet?"

In an instant Weiss released her hold on the other girl's clothes. Like she had just been caught red-handed in an attempted robbery. Her face heated as she realized just what she had been doing. She realized why as well. She had lost control. Again. And again, it all had to do with _him_. What was it about that idiot that brought out the worst in her? What was it about him that made her so emotional?

Winter was right. Winter was always right. Jaune did things to her that no one else in the world could. Not Ruby. Not even her father. He just... got under her skin in the weirdest ways possible. He could turn her into a sobbing mess or a manic lunatic.

She hated it. She hated him.

Yang placed a hand on her shoulder, giving her a little shove over towards the couch. "Come on. Let's sit down."

Weiss nodded, and quietly moved to sit on the living room couch. Ruby and Yang took seats on either side of her. She felt trapped. Like she was going to be crushed between the two girls and all of the craziness that came with them. Then she thought about herself. She thought about how only minutes ago she had been a babbling wreck of a girl. If anyone had gone insane here, it was herself.

If only her father could see her now. She would be on an air ship back to Atlas in a heartbeat.

Thankfully he could not. Thankfully she was not. She was in the best place possible. With her team. With her friends. The only possible thing which could have made her feel more safe and comfortable would be to have Zwei lying in her lap. Sadly he was still out on his walk with...

Fear and apprehension returned to her. She had kissed him. She had grabbed his face and forced a kiss on him. For what? For her own curiosity? For her own benefit? With no regard for his feelings or desires at all? She felt sick. The nausea had returned, but for an entirely different reason this time. She was a Schnee, and Schnees took what they wanted. That was what her father had always said at least. Weiss had wanted to kiss Jaune. She had taken what she wanted, and she had done so with no thought at all about how it might affect the boy.

Or how calling it a mistake might make him feel.

Weiss brought a hand up to her face as the realization hit her. What could Jaune possibly be thinking right now? What could he be feeling? Guilt wracked her body and mind. Maybe she would soon become vomit girl as Yang had said.

Perhaps her emotions were evident on her face, as Yang put an arm around her shoulder and rubbed her back gently. "How're you feeling, Weiss?"

She shook her head. "I don't know."

A part of her wanted to laugh. She must have said those words a dozen times since returning to the house. It wasn't like her at all. Weiss Schnee knew everything. She was at the top of all of her classes. She was a well-travelled and worldly girl. She had an insatiable curiosity which was stronger than most of her peers. And here she was, not knowing anything tonight. All because of him.

Thankfully Yang only chuckled this time at the familiar answer. "Yeah. I guess that makes sense."

Did it? It made her feel better to hear Yang say those words. It sure didn't make sense to Weiss herself. But so long as one of them understood it, then at least the other could be taught how it made sense.

"You know I meant what I said before," the blonde continued. "I do want you to be happy."

Weiss nodded absentmindedly. She believed Yang. She knew in her heart that her friend and teammate wished no malice upon her.

"And I wasn't lying about what I said the other night either. A guy wouldn't put up with all you did if he didn't feel _something_. Jaune's been trying to get close to you since we all first got to Beacon." She looked over Weiss' body to her sister on the other side. "Right, Ruby?"

A tiny voice on the other side of her confirmed the blonde's statement. "Right."

Weiss knew that was the truth. She still remembered their earliest interactions together. He had indeed tried to befriend her in his own clumsy and irritating way. Back then she had simply shoved those efforts aside. She would have been content to never speak to him again... until her own interests had begun to coincide with his.

No. They were over that. They were past that. They were friends now. Real friends.

Or had that all been destroyed now too? Had a few simple words spelled the doom of their new and honest friendship?

"And I think it's obvious you feel something for him too," Yang said. "After everything you've been through together. After everything you've done for him. I mean, you kissed him just to see if you really did feel anything for him. Did you?"

She didn't know. Truthfully she was feeling a lot of different emotions right now. How could she pinpoint one of them as romantic desire? She had never experienced it before. She didn't know what to look for. Was she supposed to feel as if she had butterflies in her stomach if she had feelings for someone else? Was she supposed to feel lightheaded? Was she supposed to feel the crippling guilt which came with the thought of hurting him?

"I feel sick," she admitted.

Yang laughed. It was short and sweet, and sounded surprisingly reassuring from the blonde joker. "Sick-sick, or lovesick?"

Weiss smiled as she softly shook her head. "As if I'd know the difference."

"Okay. Well let's try to sort through this. _Again._ " Yang gave her shoulder a small squeeze on the last word, and Weiss couldn't help but smile even more at the girl's willingness to put up with all of this nonsense. Even if it was all her fault to begin with. "Do you like spending time with Jaune?"

She did. She liked it just as much as she enjoyed spending time with her teammates. Jaune was a friend. A true and trusted friend. "Yes."

"Do you think he's cute?"

Her shoulders stiffened at the unexpected question. Weiss turned to look the blonde in her eyes. "Yang, that's such a shallow question."

The other girl shrugged. "Maybe, but it's also honest. Let's face it. A person can have the greatest personality in the world. But nine out of ten people won't give it a chance to shine if they aren't physically attracted to them at least a little bit."

Weiss hated how shallow Yang's words were, but deep down she knew she was right. After all, she was only human. Human, and despite how mature she acted and felt inside, she was still just a teenager. Petty things like looks and fashion mattered to her, even if she wanted to deny it to the rest of the world.

In the end she decided that Yang's question was worth answering. "I guess he's cute," she said softly. What she didn't say was how she liked the way he looked in that outfit she purchased for him. She had been right all along. The blue shirt really did bring out the color in his eyes, while the black pants and jacket made him seem even taller than he was. His height made her feel so tiny in comparison.

She only now realized she was still wearing his jacket. His scent still lingered on her. The loose and baggy garment which enveloped her made her feel even smaller somehow.

"Okay. So what's the problem?"

Weiss shrugged this time. "I don't know."

To Yang's credit she kept her composure, as well as her caring demeanor. "Okay. Well, what don't you like about him?"

Weiss wanted to feel horrible by the fact that she felt confident in answering that question. Where did she begin?

"Are you serious?" she asked. "There's so much about him that annoys me, I don't even know where to start. I hate his stupid face with his stupid goofy smile," she said softly. But with each word she spoke her voice gained confidence and volume as she listed off the many things she hated about Jaune Arc. "I hate his stupid messy hair that looks like it's never been combed in his life."

She remembered the many times where they trained together where he would make a fool out of himself. Where he would make a fool out of her. "I hate his stupid unfunny jokes. I hate how he teases me and laughs at my expense. I hate his sense of style and stupid bunny hoodie that I fixed for him."

Her fervor only grew more and she knew it. It was this realization which helped her spout off her next list of grievances against the boy. "I hate how he makes me lose control of myself. I hate how everyone gets the wrong idea about the two of us because of it! I hate how I've never felt more alive in my life than when I'm with _him_ of all people!" She shook her head. "Why him? Why does it have to be him?"

She was trembling now. There was no doubt that both Yang and Ruby felt it as they sat on both sides of her. However right now she didn't care. She was among friends. She was with those who would not judge her. She was safe. "I hate how we both came from families with such high expectations and yet he's still somehow everything that I'm not! I hate... I hate how that despite it all, I can't bring myself to actually hate him."

A pair of tears slowly rolled down her cheeks, and she instinctively wiped them away. Only afterward did she realize that she had used Jaune's black jacket to do so. How fitting. He had caused the mess, and now he was cleaning it up.

A soft smile accompanied the even softer chuckle which had no place on the face of a girl who had just shed tears. "I don't really hate him at all, do I?" she asked the two sisters.

Yang gave her shoulder a soft rub in a show of sisterly comfort. It was like something that Winter might have done had the two of them been in the privacy of their own home. Maybe it really was true. Maybe all older sisters really were alike.

"Nope," Yang confirmed. "I don't think you do."

Weiss wished that the realization would have been more comforting. She wished Yang's actions would have been as well. However there was still one undeniable truth out there. "Yang, I kissed him and ran away. What am I going to do? What could be going through his head right now?"

"I think he already knows how you feel. I mean, you did make the first move after all."

"Yeah, but I told him it was a mistake."

"So tell him that it wasn't," Yang said simply. "Or, you know. Actions speak louder than words."

The implication wasn't lost on her. Yang wanted her to kiss him again. Probably just so she and Ruby would get a front row seat to it this time.

"But... what if he doesn't feel the same way?"

"Weiss!" Yang exclaimed playfully. "How many times do I have to say this? A guy doesn't put up with your level of crazy if he doesn't feel _something_!"

Weiss wasn't even offended that the other girl had just branded her as crazy. The truth was she felt crazy at the moment. Was that what romance did to people? Maybe. In the end there was only one way to find out.

"You think so?"

Yang smiled. "I know so."

The heiress snorted a soft laugh. "Yeah. Because you have so much experience in romance, right?"

The comment prompted Ruby to laugh with her. Her best friend and partner had been curiously quiet this whole time.

"And what do you think about all this, Ruby?"

The redhead shrugged lightly. "I dunno. As long as you're happy I support whatever you wanna do! Even if you do ditch me as a partner for your boyfriend."

Ruby had made that joke months ago. It had annoyed her to no end back then. Now though... now she couldn't help but laugh as well.

"Let's not go that far," Weiss told her. "For all I know Jaune won't feel the same way. Regardless, I'm stuck with you for the next four years, remember? Don't think that I'll retreat from a challenge if given the opportunity."

Ruby looked as though she was about to say something about the less than flattering comment, but before she could the three teens heard something at the front door.

It swung open to reveal a boy in less than perfect condition along with a tiny dog at his side. The reactions were audible from all of the girls, and it wasn't simply because he had walked in on the conversation pertaining to him. Jaune's shirt was torn and filthy, the once pristine garment now wrecked beyond even Weiss' skills to repair.

Ruby stood and rushed toward him. "Jaune! What happened!"

The way that Ruby turned back and looked at Weiss with wide, accusing eyes immediately made the heiress want to protest. No, Ruby couldn't possibly think that _she_ had done this to Jaune after kissing him... right?

"Oh nothing," he said breathlessly. Weiss hadn't even noticed that he was breathing heavily when he came in. "Just ran into an Ursa. That's all."

 _You two be careful out there. They aren't too common, but there are Grimm in the woods._

Yang's words filled Weiss' mind, and she was the next to stand up. Her legs refused to move any closer to the boy, however. She didn't know what she was doing. She didn't know what she wanted to do. It was a perfect reflection of how she was feeling inside.

Instead it was Ruby who began to look over him for any signs of injuries. Thankfully there did not appear to be any. Despite the rough appearance of his clothes there did not seem to be any blood on him, nor any lingering wounds on his body. He must have won. A small part inside of Weiss swelled with pride at the realization.

"But you're okay though, right?" the redhead asked.

"Yeah," he confirmed. "I think so." There was a pause as Jaune looked down to the dog by his side. "Ruby. Your dog fights Grimm."

Weiss blinked. If her body had been frozen before, it was utterly petrified now.

"Yeah, so?"

"Why does your dog fight Grimm? Why does he _beat_ Grimm?"

Ruby frowned as she looked down at Zwei. "What, you mean that's not normal?"

"No!"

"Oh." She hunched over to pat the corgi on the head. "Good boy, Zwei. That means you're extra special."

Zwei. Fight. Grimm. The words overwhelmed her brain and forced her into action.

Weiss rushed forward, stopping in front of Jaune before scooping Zwei up in her arms. Her tunnel vision allowed her to see nothing else. "No! My baby can't fight Grimm!" she said as she cradled Zwei against her chest. "Are you okay, honey? Are you hurt anywhere?"

"Hey!" Ruby cried in protest. "He's not your baby! He's mine!"

"Shut up, Ruby!" Her attention returned to the dog in her arms, who she held as if he really was her own child. "Don't go scaring me like that again, alright? I know you're very brave, but I don't know what I would do if I lost you."

"Weiss, he's my dog! And he's beaten like a million Beowolves before!"

"How could you let him face even a single Beowolf?"

"He's good at it!"

Before Weiss could retort she was distracted by a loud, deliberate cough. She turned to see Yang approach, arms folded across her chest and a disapproving look on her face. "Was really hoping you were talking about someone else when you were worried about your _baby_ being hurt."

Weiss understood the girl's meaning immediately. She felt her body go warm from embarrassment, both from Yang's implication as well as being mere inches away from Jaune. After what she had done.

She returned Zwei to the floor, and looked up at Jaune with wide, panic-stricken eyes. The moment their gazes met they broke away from each other. Clearly she wasn't the only one feeling uncomfortable at the moment.

It was her fault. It was all her fault. More than just the kiss, more than just running away afterward, she couldn't help but feel that she had led an Ursa straight to them. Straight to him. Worse still, she had fled before it had arrived, forcing him to face it alone. It could have resulted in a far worse outcome than a simple ruined shirt. He could have been injured. He could have been killed. All because of her fear and worry. All because of her negativity which had been like a beacon in the darkness.

She had to do something. After everything she, Ruby and Yang had just discussed, this had to be resolved. She had to be straightforward. Not just with him, but with herself.

Weiss began to raise her hand to reach out to him, but stopped herself short before lowering her arm back to her side. A moment later she composed herself, but could only bring herself to speak. "Jaune."

His head turned to face her, but his eyes still did not meet her own. "Yeah?"

"Could we... speak outside for a moment?"

A part of her feared that he would refuse. That he would be too hurt from what had happened earlier in the night. That he would not want to speak with her ever again. Weiss braced herself for rejection from the boy. Thankfully it never came.

"Sure," he said softly.

The moment he made a move to step out the door once again, stupid, annoying, blonde, loudmouth Yang opened her stupid, annoying, blonde mouth. "Oh come on!"

Clearly Weiss had been correct in her earlier assessment. Yang totally wanted a front row seat to witness what was going to happen next. Whatever it might be.

The other girl was silenced as Weiss shot a glare back in her direction. A look which told her that following the two outside would bring the pain of death.

Thankfully Yang seemed to get the message. No matter how disappointing it was.

The air was warm here by the house in comparison to down by the lake, but regardless of this fact Weiss was still shaking. Even with the jacket that still hung over her body, she still felt cold shivers run down her body. What was she doing? She had no plan. She had no words already formed in her mind. She was not prepared in the slightest. It was not like her at all to rush into a situation with no preparation whatsoever.

However as she had thought earlier, this boy did have a tendency to bring out the very worst in her.

What could she say? That she was sorry for attracting a creature of Grimm to them which had nearly mauled Jaune? That she was sorry for forcing herself upon him before running away? That she was sorry for telling him that such an intimate and selfish action had been a mistake? She didn't even know where to begin. She didn't even remember how to move her lips to form words.

Much to her relief it was Jaune who got the ball rolling. It may not have been much, but at least it was something. "So..." he started uneasily.

"So..." she echoed. Weiss shook her head, squeezing her eyes shut in frustration. _Wow, you sound so intelligent right now._

Her heart thudded inside her chest just as it had earlier in the evening. She knew what she had to do, but she just didn't know how to do it. Why did this have to be so difficult? Why couldn't she simply say what she needed to say?

"You wanted to talk about something?" he continued. "In private I take it?"

She nodded. The absence of both Ruby and Yang was both a relief and terrifying at the same time. Weiss didn't want them to be present for a moment like this, but they were also the ones who had helped her come to this realization. They were her lifeline. They were her support group. She was able to lean on them when her own strength was not enough to carry her through a trying time like this.

She hoped that she would have the strength to do what needed to be done.

"I..." she said before hesitating. Weiss closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She was a Schnee. She was strong. She would not cower. She would never be afraid again. Not of Jaune. Not of her father. Nobody. After all, courage was not the absence of fear, but the mastery of it. Wise words spoken first by Pyrrha and then by Jaune. Words which she would not soon forget.

To his credit, Jaune did not interrupt. Perhaps he could sense how difficult of a time she was having. He was giving her all of the time in the world to compose herself and gather her thoughts. He was thoughtful. He had always been thoughtful. Caring. Genuine. Kind. Supportive. He possessed a seemingly infinite amount of positive traits, and yet she had ignored all of them when she had listed all of the reasons she hated him.

Perhaps it was those very reasons that were his positive qualities. She had merely turned them into something negative. She had given herself reasons to hate him when in reality there were none.

"I want to apologize," she continued. She wondered how many times she had apologized to him over the past few months. This was far from the first time. She doubted it would be the last. "For many things. For abandoning you to face an Ursa on your own. For toying with your emotions. For... for forcing myself upon you with no regard for your feelings at all."

Her fingers began to idly play with the cuffs of the long sleeves which held her hands. The oversized jacket hid her trembling form, and for not the first time tonight she was thankful to have it on. If Jaune could see how much she was shaking right now he would likely have thought that she was sick and forced her to go inside to lie down. To go without telling him how she felt.

Jaune brought a hand up to scratch his neck. One of his classic nervous tics which she had learned to recognize over the months. "It's okay. The Ursa thing isn't really your fault. Besides, there was no way you could have known it was coming. And I came out just fine." He looked down to his shirt. "Well, mostly fine."

Weiss didn't care if she hadn't intentionally summoned the Grimm. She had been the nervous wreck on the walk. She had been the one filled with fear and anxiety. It had been drawn to her, and she had escaped unscathed.

"And as for the other thing, uh, well..."

"No," she insisted. "Don't even try to make it seem like it wasn't a big deal. It was. I took what I wanted without even considering how you felt. It wasn't fair to you, Jaune. And it wasn't fair that I said it was a mistake immediately afterward. I'm sorry." She finally mustered the courage to look into his eyes. "Can you ever forgive me?"

The small smile which crept upon his lips warmed a cold and shaking body. It wasn't enough to stop her shivering entirely, but she felt the surge of warmth that formed in her chest run down the rest of her body.

"Of course I can," he said. The smile soon slipped from his lips, and he bit down on his bottom one momentarily before speaking. "But there is something I... I would like to know, Weiss. Since we're being honest with each other." Weiss couldn't help but notice apprehension of his own in his body and voice. He appeared to visibly steel himself before continuing. "Weiss... after all this time I have to know. What do I mean to you? Do you... have any feelings for me?"

Bold. Straight. To the point. No dancing around the issue. No talking around the subject. He had a question. He asked it. There was nowhere to go now. All she could do was answer.

Weiss could feel her pulse inside of her head. Sights and sounds seemed muted and amplified at the same time. Her tunnel vision returned, only now it was focused on Jaune. Her jaw shook as she was about to speak the same truth she had just spoken to Ruby and Yang.

"Jaune," she started uneasily. It took another second to find her courage. "I believe it is important that I be direct and forthright about my feelings. I... I..." she stumbled, her tongue refusing to cooperate with her brain. With her heart. "I have romantic feelings for you, but I understand if you do not. Especially with what I did to-"

She didn't get a chance to finish. Words were forced back inside of her mouth with nowhere to go as Jaune gently placed his lips upon her own.

Her body stiffened, her arms going still as the sensation crashed over her body. A moment later she felt more than just his lips. One hand of his found its way on her back, giving her much needed support so that she would not fall to the ground in shock over what was happening. His other came to rest lightly on her cheek, his fingers brushing softly against her skin and sending yet more waves of warmth coursing through her body.

It lasted longer this time. Where her own kiss had been just a couple of seconds before she broke off, this seemed to go on forever. Maybe it was because he had initiated it this time. Maybe it was because they both wanted it. Whatever the reason, it was bliss. It was something she didn't want to end. She was sad when it did.

Jaune pulled back, removing the hand from her face, but keeping the one on her back. Their bodies were still close, separated by perhaps an inch. There was worry and apprehension in his own eyes now. Weiss wondered if that was how she had looked when she kissed him.

"It's okay," he said softly. Warmly. "I wanted it too. And... did... did you want it too? This time, I mean?"

Weiss was still in a state of shock as Jaune spoke. He had kissed her. He wasn't mad about before. If actions did indeed speak louder than words then it was clear that he had feelings for her too.

"Yes," she whispered, nodded emphatically. "I... yes. I did. I do."

He laughed. It was small and nervous, perhaps even relieved. "Good. That's good. I... I really would have hated myself if I just did that and it wound up screwing things up horribly."

Weiss laughed too. She couldn't help but laugh when she was around this fool. This idiot. Words she had once used to insult him now only seemed like terms of endearment. He was indeed a fool and an idiot. But he was _her_ fool and idiot. At least that's what it seemed like on this night. In this moment.

"So... uh... I'm kinda new to this," he continued. "What do we do now?"

His hand was still upon her. She wanted his other one around her now too. He was warm. He was comfortable. Even though it wasn't cold out, she wanted that warmth. Before she could do or say anything else, however, she saw a flash of light in her periphery.

Looking back to the house she saw a curtain pulled back. Ruby and Yang were there, and the elder sister held a scroll in both hands. Silver and lilac eyes went wide before the curtain fell back into place, both sisters undoubtedly bolting away at the speed of Ruby's Semblance.

"I think... we go back in there and shove that scroll down Yang's throat," she replied.

She received no protest, but at the same time neither made a move to step back inside. They simply stood there, hoping to enjoy the moment for just a little while longer.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** I have to say, it was fun writing a crazy Weiss like that. An ongoing theme throughout the story is that Jaune does bring out her emotions more than anyone else. Including her craziness. Hopefully it was enjoyable for all of you too.

Like I said before, I was totally blown away by the response after posting the previous chapter. It really did motivate me to not only write this before updating Wild Side, but to get it done quickly. So all of you are responsible for the fast update. For that I say thank you.

And as always I must thank you all for your continued support. I really do love bringing smiles to faces and tears to eyes, apparently. You all really do inspire me, and I could not have made it this far without you.

You may have guessed that this is kind of the climax to the story. I have one more chapter planned out as fallout, reactions, all that sort of stuff to wrap it up. This was never intended to span the first three volumes, or really affect the overall plot of RWBY in regards to Cinder, the fall of Beacon, etc. It was just a ship fic. Hopefully that doesn't disappoint anyone.

Thank you all for reading. I hope you liked the chapter.


	28. Chapter 28

How was it that everything in the world seemed so much better than it had just a few days ago?

Mornings had once been the bane of his existence. Now Jaune woke up feeling refreshed and looking forward to the new day. There was the anticipation of the unknown around every corner. Every buzz of his scroll brought the hope and possibility of something exciting. Colors looked brighter. Food tasted better. He noticed the little things he never had before. The singing of birds. The rustling of leaves in the wind. Everything around him was just so amazing and beautiful.

One thing stood out specifically. One thing that was particularly amazing and beautiful.

Or rather, one girl.

Jaune stood back as he watched Weiss fumble around with the leash she was trying to attach around Zwei's neck. Despite the dog loving walks, he often made the preparation of taking them difficult. He was easily excitable, and when he was running and jumping around in anticipation, it made actually putting the leash on unusually difficult. Watching Weiss desperately try and calm him down was amusing. So much so that he did not feel bad about not going over there to try and lend her a hand in bringing the little corgi under control.

It had gone on that way without fail for the past couple of days now. It was funny. Despite the fact that every day brought with it new surprises and experiences, they had already developed a routine. Every morning they would take Zwei for a walk in the woods around the house. Weiss loved that dog, fussing over him in a way which Jaune would have never expected to see out of the usually cold and reserved girl. However when she was around the tiny creature, all of those normal walls seemed to crumble. She showed no signs of regret or doubt about exposing that vulnerable side of herself.

It was fitting that this had developed into their routine. It had been during their first outing with Zwei that Weiss had kissed him. In a way it was like they were going back to their roots with each morning they spent together. Like a couple going back to the spot where they had first confessed their feelings to one another. Or listening to the song which had been playing in the background of their first kiss. That was what Zwei was to them. A reminder of how everything had begun. The reason they were together.

Or at least, that was what Weiss would argue. Now knowing the truth of what Ruby and Yang had planned, it made sense that Weiss would latch onto the dog she adored as being the reason she and Jaune were a thing now. She would never give Yang the satisfaction of knowing that her plan had worked. At least not publicly.

"Come on, Zwei," the girl said as she struggled. "Down, boy. Down. I can't get this on you if you won't stay still."

Jaune smiled. He only hoped that Weiss' words would not wake the two girls who were still asleep.

An audible click was heard, followed by a sigh of relief from the heiress. "Finally." Her shoulders heaved as she let out a deep breath. She looked over to Jaune as she walked over towards him. "Are you ready?"

He couldn't possibly say that he had been ready for five minutes now. Five minutes of watching the girl struggle with the simple task of leashing a dog for a walk. No, that would undoubtedly result in some sort of retaliation from the girl. Some angry show of emotion. Harsh words. Maybe even a light smack.

Which is exactly why he did just that.

"I've been ready for a while now," he answered playfully. "Just waiting on you."

Pale blue eyes narrowed. A small wrist flicked, and his arm was struck by perfectly maintained fingernails. "Jerk."

Bingo.

Jaune smiled at her predictable reaction. For as long as he had known the girl, Weiss had a fiery temper. It was paradoxical that a girl who was so cold and reserved could be so passionate. Then again, he remembered what Winter had told him all those weeks ago. Weiss became unusually emotional around him. Her normally calm and collected demeanor shattered when it came to him. Whether it was frustration, anger, annoyance, or these brand new emotions she was feeling for him, he made them come out.

He wouldn't have it any other way. His goal long ago had been to bring those emotions out. To tease her. To annoy her. Back then it had been mostly for his own amusement. Now though... now he simply loved to see every facet of the girl. He loved to see all of the layers that made up Weiss Schnee. Both the good and the bad, because even the bad aspects of that girl were good so long as they were hers.

The sun was still creeping up over the horizon as the two stepped outside and onto the wooden deck of the cabin. The sounds of nature were all around them as newly woken animals were beginning their daily routines for finding food. Birds chirped. Insects buzzed. Branches rustled as small creatures scurried across them. Had life always been so beautiful? Probably. Jaune just noticed it more now.

He noticed lots of things now. Like how Weiss wasn't wearing her more traditional combat skirt. Maybe it was the simple fact that she wasn't expecting to do much fighting out here on Patch. Or maybe it was because wearing a skirt wasn't a particularly good idea in a forested area. Where had she even gotten pants from anyway? Weiss never wore pants! Maybe they were old clothes from the two sisters which had been abandoned and left at their home once they went off to Beacon. Borrowed from Ruby perhaps? Or Yang? They seemed to fit alright, so it was probably the former. Or maybe they were Yang's old pants from when she had been younger. Smaller. A good half a foot smaller, at least.

He smiled at the thought. Weiss really was just so tiny. At her age she probably wouldn't be growing anymore, and that was absolutely fine. She didn't need to be tall like Yang or Pyrrha. The fact that such a domineering personality came from such a short and petite girl made it all the more comical.

Jaune had been so lost in his thoughts about the girl that he didn't realize how long he had been staring at her as they walked. However he quickly came to his senses when Weiss turned and gave him a questioning look. "What is it?"

He looked away almost immediately, as if he had been caught red-handed committing some sort of crime. "Huh? Oh. Nothing."

Her lip twitched. "Is that why you were staring at me? What's wrong? Is there a bug in my hair?" Her free hand went up and began to swipe lightly at the ponytail which hung down her back.

"No no, nothing like that," he insisted. "I was just... I dunno. Thinking."

"About?"

He didn't know why he was embarrassed about admitting the truth. He and Weiss had been together for a couple of days now, and he loved everything about it. He loved every minute of it. However he could not help but treat each new experience, each new confession of his feelings, as a landmine that needed to be treaded carefully. He feared that too much affection could scare the girl off. Too little could make her feel as though he didn't care for her.

Why did relationships have to be so hard? Why couldn't there be some sort of guidebook to this completely new and wonderful experience? Something to tell him what to and not to do? What to say and not to say?

He scratched the back of his neck. "Uh... you know. You."

Weiss' eyes widened for the briefest of moments before she turned away. The slightest hint of a blush crept over her cheeks. "Oh."

Blushing was good. At least that's what every piece of media he had ever read or seen on TV told him. So did that mean she liked the comment? Should he continue? Should he say things like that more often?

Thankfully that assertive girl answered his own internal questions when she continued speaking. "So... what were you thinking about me?"

She liked it! Jaune was beaming inside. She had given him the green light to continue.

So how did he follow up now?

Thankfully he hadn't been thinking any particularly embarrassing or dirty thoughts, so being honest wouldn't be an issue. Somehow he thought that she would know if he was lying at a time like this.

"I was just thinking about how... small you are."

Those were the wrong words if her reaction was anything to go by. Her free hand drifted over to rest upon her hip. "Excuse me?"

Mouth? Meet foot. Jaune couldn't help but think he had just touched on some sort of taboo issue with the girl. He had never considered that she might be self-conscious about her height. He had to do some damage control.

He waved his hands in front of him franticly." "No no no!" he insisted. "I didn't mean that in a bad way! I like how short you are! It's really cute!"

Jaune grimaced as he blurted out the last part. He hoped that it wouldn't be too sudden. Too forward.

Eyes widened again. Pale blue eyes which only a moment ago resembled sharp chips of ice softened, and now looked more akin to calm pools of water. Weiss looked away again, all of her anger seemingly gone in an instant.

"Oh," she said softly. Her hand fell from her waist back down to her side, that show of defiance seemingly over. The other hand which held Zwei's leash had begun fidgeting with the device. "I... I like that you're tall."

Disaster averted. Jaune made sure to take a mental note. Talking about the heiress' height was a bit of a touchy subject, but seemed to be okay if he talked about it in a positive light. Perhaps someday he would grow bold enough to tease her about it like he did with so many other things about her. Once they became more familiar with one another. More comfortable with the relationship.

"What else do you like about me?"

Her follow up question caught him off guard. However he did not need to be prepared to be able to answer such a question. What did he like about her? Let him count the ways.

"I like your passion," he answered almost immediately. "Your strength. Your will. How you're the strongest person I know, and it's even better that it all comes in such a tiny package."

She said nothing, but even as she stared down at the ground Jaune could tell she was desperately holding back a smile. It was that struggle, which despite her silence, urged him to go on.

"I mean, what's not to like about you? You're smart. Talented. Beautiful. And your voice? The way you sing... it's just amazing."

For long moments she said nothing. Jaune briefly wondered if he had been too bold in his confession. She had never sung for him, but he had still heard her sing before. Videos of her concerts had been circulated online, and once he had gotten to know her better he looked those up. To hear such a powerful and emotional voice come from the girl was surprising to say the least. He only hoped that doing so didn't make her think he was some sort of stalker.

Finally she spoke. "Those last two things you said," she said softly. "Can you say them again?"

His brow scrunched in confusion. "Huh?"

"Can you say that I'm amazing and beautiful again?"

He had no idea why she had such a particular and detailed request, but he would be more than happy to grant her wish. It wasn't as if he would be lying by saying those words.

"Weiss," he said gently. He knew this request was important to her, so he made sure to sound as warm and genuine as he could. He took his time in saying the words. "I absolutely believe that you're the most amazing and beautiful girl I've ever met in my life."

Her cheeks were undeniably flushed right now. The way her head bobbed up and down rapidly was utterly unlike anything he had ever seen from the girl before. The way her curved lips quivered all but guaranteed that she was holding back an enormous grin. The struggle between hiding her feelings and letting them go on full display was so utterly Weiss-like. He wouldn't trade that part of her for anything.

"Thank you, Jaune," she whispered. Her tone was almost euphoric.

Those words had seemingly made her day. He was happy he could oblige. It prompted him to continue. "I wouldn't say it if it wasn't true. I just wonder how any of my sisters will ever believe me when I tell them about you."

Weiss' smile vanished almost immediately after he had spoken. "S-sisters?" she questioned.

Oh dear. Had he said something wrong? "Well, I guess I don't have to if you wanna keep this secret," he amended.

"No no," she insisted. "It's not that. I guess... I guess I just forgot you have sisters. Seven of them, if I remember correctly?"

"Yup," he confirmed. If she knew he had sisters, and didn't want to keep their relationship a secret, then what was it that seemed to be troubling the girl?

"And... how many of them are older sisters?"

What an unusually specific question. Regardless, it wouldn't hurt to answer it. "Uh, four of them."

She nodded absentmindedly. "Four," she repeated. "Four older sisters."

Was that fear in her voice? Hesitation? Insecurity? It was something along those lines. It was also completely unnecessary.

"Weiss, why do you sound worried about the fact that I have four older sisters?"

She shook her head now. Rapidly. "Nothing!" she insisted. "I mean, there is no reason. I am certain that I will be able to impress and live up to the standards which your sisters expect."

Impress and live up... oh...

Jaune's mind made a connection which he had not expected. Weiss only had two experiences with older sisters. One was Yang. The fiery blonde who would do anything for her own younger sister. The girl who would look out for and protect Ruby with her very life.

The other experience was Weiss' own older sister, Winter. The young woman who Weiss idolized. The sister who she so dearly wanted to impress. The one member of her family who Weiss could open up to. Whose relationship she treasured.

Perhaps Weiss expected Jaune's own older sisters to be much the same as her own. Girls who she would need to win over. Impress. Prove that she was worthy of their younger brother's time and affection.

How... utterly adorable.

His mind desperately wanted to mess with her about this. However his heart could not bear to put the heiress through such anxiety. Not when he knew how much Weiss valued the relationship with her own sister. This topic in particular was unsuited for teasing.

"I'm sure they'll love you," he said comfortingly. "Trust me. I know my sisters. The very fact that there's a girl who's interested in me will be enough to win them over."

Weiss seemed to be put at ease by his reassurance. "That's good," she said softly. "I'm glad."

She still seemed a little bit nervous. What could he do or say to put her mind at ease, or at least take her mind off the subject? How could he show her that everything would be okay? How could he show her that he cared?

Inspiration struck. Maybe he had seen one too many romantic comedies back at home with his sisters, but it was worth a shot. He placed his hand on her shoulder as his feet came to a halt. She stopped walking as well shortly afterward.

"Weiss," he said as he smiled.

"Jaune?"

He leaned down and gave her a soft peck on her lips.

It was brief. Nothing like the either of their first two kisses. Both of those times they had been caught up in the moments which they were in. There was a certain amount of anxiety and emotion behind them. Both had been to prove something. This on the other hand was a simple display of affection. A way to hopefully reassure the girl that everything was going to be alright.

The look of surprise on her face told him he had done something wrong. He was quick to apologize. "I'm sorry. Was I not supposed to do that? Should I have asked first?"

She shook her head frantically. "No no, it's not that," she insisted. "I was just caught off guard. That's all."

"Yeah. I'm sorry. This relationship stuff is just all new to me."

"It's new to me too." Her free hand brushed against her hair as she looked off to the side. "I mean, I'm not opposed to what you just did there. I liked it. But... maybe we could keep that sort of thing private. Just to start off."

A look around revealed nothing but forest. They were a good distance away from Ruby and Yang's cabin. Unless the two were tracking them in order to spy on them, it was unlikely that anyone would be around for miles.

Still, he understood. Weiss really was not the most outgoing person under normal circumstances. Sure, he was able to bring out those emotions in a way that most people could not. However it made sense that the girl was not a fan of public displays of affection.

He smiled, deciding that a joke would be a good way to diffuse the situation. "Are you embarrassed of me?" he asked playfully.

Luckily she seemed to catch on, and offered a small smile of her own in return. "Every minute of every day."

The response caused him to chuckle softly. "I guess we're kinda bad at this stuff."

"For now. Do you know who would know more about these things?"

"Who?"

"Yang."

Jaune raised a surprised eyebrow. "Huh. Really?"

"Yes," Weiss said with a grin. "She enjoys bragging about how many guys she's been with."

The blonde's amused expression turned to a slight frown. "That's... interesting."

"It is," Weiss agreed. "That girl simply must choose her words more carefully. One might get the wrong idea should she phrase things poorly."

Jaune was certain that whatever Yang had said, Weiss was purposefully taking it out of context. Either way, it was funny to see Weiss telling jokes rather than the blonde. It spoke volumes of just how much she had grown over the past semester. The fact that she was sharing those jokes with him of all people only reinforced the thought. The Weiss he had met back on the first day of school would have sooner impaled him with Myrtenaster than she would have joked around with him.

Or kissed him.

He couldn't stop himself from smiling at the thought. A comfortable silence settled over them as they continued to walk. Weiss had her eyes glued on Zwei more often than not. The tiny creature was having the time of his life as well, perhaps even more so than Jaune and Weiss. The constant sniffing pulled Weiss left and right time and time again. She was seemingly unaffected by the fact that Zwei would occasionally stop to mark his territory. Jaune would not have expected someone as prim and proper as her to take the act in stride. Yet there she was, simply happy to be around the dog.

Finally her gaze left the corgi, and focused on the path ahead. "I suppose you'll do for now," she said cryptically.

Jaune's head turned to look at her. "Huh?"

Weiss, however, kept her eyes straight ahead. "Until after graduation," she explained. "Until I can finally get a real dog of my own. You'll do until then."

It was hardly the first time she had called him a dog. It was, however, the first time she had compared him favorably to one. It was painfully obvious for all to see that she loved Zwei to a degree which no one would have expected. If she was still comparing him to a dog... what did that say about how much she cared for him?

"Is that a compliment?" he asked. "Or should I be offended that you still think of me as your dog?"

For a few seconds there was no response. When she finally decided to it was just as cryptic as before. "Yes."

"Yes what? Oh and another thing. Should I be worried about you getting rid of me once you do get your own dog after graduation?"

She shot him a glare that sent chills down his spine. "Please, I don't plan on getting rid of you." Her expression softened as a small smirk curled on her lips. "However if I do it will be entirely your fault."

Jaune pointed a finger at his chest. "My fault? How will it be my fault?"

"Because everything's your fault."

"Since when?"

"Since always." She reached up with a hand and gently patted him atop his head. "Now be a good dog and be quiet, please."

He smiled. "Only if you give me a treat."

What exactly he meant by a treat was entirely ambiguous. Intentionally so, too.

With the way Weiss blushed and looked away, Jaune could only imagine that her mind had not gone to beef jerky. No, she had thought of something more personal. Something she had only minutes ago said that she would prefer to do only in private.

Jaune wouldn't be opposed to being rewarded like that on a daily basis. He would be the best dog in the world if it would get him treats like that.

* * *

Two weeks on Patch had gone by far too quickly. Annoyingly so.

It was the day before the start of their second semester. The foursome had made their way back to Beacon to get settled back in once more. Apparently they were not alone in their thinking.

The air ship pad was buzzing with activity as Bullheads came and went with scheduled regularity. All around her were both familiar faces and those she had never before seen. Loud and obnoxious conversations from those with no sense of decency or personal space filled her ears. Reunions by those who had not seen one another in a whole two weeks were annoyingly emotional. Seriously, some of these people were acting as if they hadn't seen one another in years. People were stupid. Even the elite huntsmen and huntresses of Beacon were not immune to the stupidity which infected humanity.

Thankfully her own team and her own friends were not so obnoxious.

The thought hit her like a truck. Yes they were. Of course they were. How could she have lied to herself for even a second? Ruby, Yang, Jaune, Nora... they were all insanity personified in their own unique ways. She had simply built up a tolerance to them. They had changed her.

She was absolutely fine with that.

Speaking of familiar faces, speaking of insanity, and speaking of Nora...

"You guys!"

Through the sea of people walking to and from the dock, Weiss could make out the jumping form of a familiar redheaded girl. Nora's arms were flailing in the air in an attempt to get their attention. Her short stature made bouncing up and down a necessity to see over the many taller bodies, however Weiss was confident that the energetic and bubbly girl would have acted the same even if they had been alone at the dock.

As the group grew closer she saw that Nora was not alone. Unsurprisingly, her partner Ren was at her side, as calm and collected as ever. What an odd pair they were.

Weiss glanced over to the boy on her left.

What an odd pair they were.

"What's up, Nora," Yang greeted as she bumped their friend's fist with her own. "Were you waiting for us to get here or something?"

Nora waved off the question. "Nah! I just like people watching. I mean, have you ever _seen_ people? They're crazy! Especially at air terminals."

Nora was calling other people crazy. Weiss wondered if she was joking, or if the girl simply had no sense of self-awareness.

"Like look at those two," Nora continued, pointing over to a pair of students. "They totally don't know it yet, but I can tell they're in love!" she gushed. "Look at the way she touches him when they talk. All those little signs. A hand on the shoulder. Brushing against his arm. A finger poke to the chest. People are just so fascinating!"

Weiss followed the redhead's finger and saw the students in question. It looked to be simple and innocent conversation. Two friends, and probably teammates reconnecting after being separated for the past two weeks. Yet there was an interesting amount of physical contact between the two. Maybe Nora was on to something.

Then again Weiss herself had never been the most open or outgoing person when it came to affection. She didn't know what was normal and what wasn't when it came to displaying that sort of thing. It was one reason she felt self-conscious about sharing those kinds of affectionate moments with Jaune out in public. It wasn't that she didn't want to share those kinds of moments with him. It wasn't that she didn't like the feeling of being in his arms, or having his lips meeting her own. It was just... she didn't know. A lifetime of keeping everything bottled up. A lifetime of maintaining appearances. A lifetime of not wanting to open up at the risk of being hurt. It made such public displays uneasy. Like someone might embarrass her if she acted on her desires. Like someone might use such displays against her.

Thankfully he understood. He never pressed the issue. He never even asked why. Jaune would wait until she was comfortable with revealing such things. He was a good man.

Weiss was stirred from her thoughts when she heard a screech. Eyes widened and looked to the source, and saw Nora's arm shaking as it pointed out accusingly at Weiss herself.

"Oh my gods!" the redhead cried. "No way!"

The heiress looked around worryingly. Was Nora pointing at something behind her? Was someone sneaking up on her? What was the issue?

Before she could even ask what the problem was, Nora went on. "You two," she said pointing back and forth between Weiss and Jaune. "You two. When did you two happen?"

Weiss' own eyes widened at the accusation. It wasn't as if she had planned on keeping her new relationship with Jaune a secret or anything. However she simply wondered how Nora had reached the conclusion so quickly, and with such concrete conviction.

She panicked, blurting out the first words which came to mind. "What?" Weiss said quickly. "What do you mean?"

The shaky arm of Nora lowered, going from Weiss' chest down to her side. Specifically her arm. Her left arm. Her left hand. Her left pinky.

The pinky which was currently resting in the right pocket of Jaune's hoodie.

Had she been standing this close to him the whole time? Of course the four teens had been smashed together as they navigated through the large crowd at the air ship terminal, but had she been pressed up shoulder to shoulder with Jaune since escaping the crowd? Had she not noticed? Had she not even wanted to separate from him once the opportunity arose?

In an instant Weiss sidestepped a couple of feet away from him, taking her finger with her as she did so. The warmth which she hadn't even realized was pressed up against the left side of her body left her feeling suddenly cold. Unpleasantly cold.

"Aw don't be so shy!" Nora squealed. "I knew there was something going on between you two. Two people can't spend like every minute of every day together without _something_ developing between them." She elbowed her partner in the ribs. "Right, Ren?"

The boy took the hit in stride, and nodded. "It's not uncommon for prolonged exposure to another person to cause intimacy to grow between them."

Nora laughed. Perhaps a little too hard. A little too forced. "Yeah. You're right. You're too right."

That poor girl. That poor, poor girl. Weiss could not help but feel sorry for Nora. She could tell what the loud girl was trying to hint at. Could Ren not? Or did he simply not feel the same way?

While she felt pity for Nora, Weiss could not help but feel happy for herself. Jaune felt the same way she did. There was no wondering about those kinds of emotions from the blonde boy. It would have broken her heart had she confessed to him the way she had, and he not felt the same way.

"Oh these two lovebirds?" Yang smiled, throwing an arm around Weiss' shoulders. "They hooked up on Patch over the break. It was so adorable. I've got pics if you wanna see later."

Weiss thrashed like a feline being forced to take a bath, finally pulling Yang's arm off of her. "Don't you dare, Yang!"

"Aw, come on," the blonde girl cooed. "You two make such a cute couple. I only wish I had gotten to see the first kiss, because it sounded like it must have been a total dumpster fire by the way you were freaking out." She shrugged. "Oh well. I guess the second will just have to do."

"I thought I told you before to delete all those pictures! You will get rid of them immediately!"

"Immediately?" Yang smirked. "Even before I send you a copy of them all?"

The question gave Weiss pause. Her mind betrayed her. It may not have been her first kiss, but it was indeed a much, much more enjoyable one. Yang, while not exactly a poet when it came to her words, was correct about one thing. Her first kiss with Jaune had been an anxiety-fueled mess which she had called a mistake and run away from.

Their second kiss on the other hand... just the memory of it made her feel warm and fuzzy inside. Yes, she would not mind having a picture of that. For entirely pure and wholesome purposes. For scientific purposes. Yes. For science.

"I'm not hearing a 'no'~," Yang sang annoyingly.

"Shut up," Weiss snapped. Her next words were so soft and mumbled that they barely resembled human speech. "Just send them."

"What was that?"

"I said send them!" she snapped.

Yang laughed. Ruby and Nora joined in immediately. Ren showed incredible emotion of his own with a tiny smile on his face. And Jaune...

Weiss' eyes narrowed as she focused on the blonde boy trying desperately not to laugh.

"Excuse me, do you think this is funny?" she asked him.

He shook his head immediately. "No, ma'am," he answered quickly. The stupid smirk on his face and quivering lips betrayed those words completely.

"Oh my goodness, what has happened to my leader!" Nora wailed as she rushed over and grabbed him by the front of his hoodie. "Jaune! You are whipped! You are so completely and totally whipped! How can we ever take orders from you again when you're taking orders from... from... _her_?"

"Hey! I'm not whipped!" he protested.

"Oh sure. That's why you were getting up at like six in the morning every day to go train with her! That's why you went off... off... gallivanting in the Emerald Forest with her! That's why you were having secret meetings with her older sister about who knows what!"

Weiss was surprised that the word 'gallivanting' was even in Nora's vocabulary. Regardless, the girl wasn't exactly wrong. Jaune had done all of those things. He had done them all for her.

All of that hard work. All the effort. All the training. In the end it had indeed paid off. Simply not in the way she had originally wanted it to. It had manifested itself in the most unexpected of ways.

She was satisfied with the result.

That satisfaction was why her eyes had wandered to someone else. As the rest of the group talked and joked about her and Jaune's relationship, Weiss' gaze was drawn to another boy. Unlike Jaune, however, her focus on him was for entirely negative reasons. This was a boy she had nothing but contempt for.

Cardin Winchester.

There he was. The stupid, smug and arrogant brute, laughing with his own friends. Probably about how he had bullied another faunus student, or something equally as repulsive. As she looked at him, all she could think about was her father. The bully in her own life. The one she had yet to stand up to the way Jaune had stood up to Cardin.

Taking a step away from her friends, Weiss excused herself. "I'll be right back."

"Weiss?" Jaune questioned. The look on his face expressed concern for her. Perhaps her tone had contained a little too much contempt in it when she had spoken.

She did her best to clear her mind of its raging emotions as she looked back. "I'm fine," she said. "This will only take a moment."

Without waiting for another word she marched over to where Cardin stood. She knew that the eyes of her friends were following her, but she didn't care. She had to do this.

The boy saw Weiss approach, her intent unmistakable as she made straight for him. The laughter subsided, and the grin vanished from his face as she grew near. It was replaced with an expression of confusion, bordering on concern. "What's up, Schnee?"

Such an informal greeting might have once annoyed her, however she expected little from this boy. As such it did not affect her in the slightest. "I never got a chance to congratulate you," she told him. Her words were sincere, however her voice dripped with sarcasm. "For winning our little wager."

Cardin looked around to his friends. If he was looking for some kind of explanation from them, he would be waiting forever. In the end he merely shrugged. "Uh, thanks, I guess?"

"It would be most unbecoming of a Schnee to not own up to their words. You were indeed the better man in that match."

More confusion. As if Cardin had never expected her to actually admit that to him. Truthfully didn't want to admit it, but as she had said, she was a Schnee. A Schnee kept their word.

However, the purpose of her coming over here had not been to merely keep her word.

Such praise was making the boy uncomfortable, like he was waiting for the rug to be pulled out from underneath him. "Oh. Sure," he said uneasily.

"However," she said as she held up a finger. "While you may have won the bet, I still won in the end."

Cardin's face scrunched up, not quite knowing how to react to the declaration. First she had said he had won, then that she had won? Such uncertainty was entirely understandable. Luckily Weiss had an explanation.

"You see, while you may have been the better man in that fight, Jaune is still the better man," she said, pointing over at the blonde boy. "And I want to thank you for giving me the opportunity to discover that for myself. While he may have lost your duel, while I may have lost our bet, we both still gained something out of it in the end. Something better than a petty victory. Something more important than mere ego. So thank you, Cardin. Thank you for forcing me to improve myself. For forcing Jaune to improve himself. For allowing us to find each other because of it."

It was petty. So incredibly petty. However it felt good. Satisfying. To have still won in the end. Even if it wasn't the way she had foreseen.

Cardin's eyes widened for a moment as he pointed over at Jaune. "Wait. You mean. You two..."

A ghost of a smirk graced her lips as she stared him in the eyes. "Yes."

With that she turned, leaving the boy in stunned silence. Oh yes. That felt so incredibly satisfying.

To have a victory over a bully was indeed an important thing to her. It gave her hope. Hope that someday she would be able to stand up to the bully who had tormented her long before ever meeting Cardin Winchester.

* * *

There was a certain peace and tranquility that Patch possessed. For a girl who seemed destined to forever be in the spotlight, it had been a welcome change. Initially there had been no one to impress. No appearances to maintain.

That feeling was gone now that she was back at Beacon. It was gone in more ways than one.

It had more than just returned, however. It had evolved. It wasn't her instructors she sought to impress. It wasn't her peers. It wasn't even her father.

It was him. The last person in the world who she needed to impress. Yet she still felt as if she did.

Jaune would not judge her. Never. Not in a million years. So why did she always feel the need to look her best around him? To act her best? Is this what relationships did to people? Is this what romance turned them into? Nervous wrecks who were worried about what their significant others saw in them? What their significant others felt about them?

Or was this simply because she had no experience in romance? It seemed as if every action she took, every decision she made, and every word she spoke was heightened in her awareness of them. She was worried about doing something wrong. About screwing something up. About giving off the wrong impression.

She was scared her past would haunt her future.

Weiss knew she did not open up easily. She did put her feelings on display all that often. Public shows of affection had been frowned upon her entire life. A Schnee had to maintain appearances, after all. It was why she had spoken a few words to Jaune back on Patch which she still regretted. After he had been so bold as to kiss her like he had. After he had the courage to show her how much he cared for her. She had retreated. Hidden herself behind the mask. Raised the shield on pure instinct.

No more.

He would be arriving soon. Right here on Beacon's rooftop, where it would be just the two of them.

The night's sky was beautiful on this night. Their last night of freedom before classes would resume. Before the entire school would eventually become witness to the fact that they were together. After all, there would be no hiding it soon enough. She planned to sit next to him in every class they shared. At the cafeteria. She had no doubt that their proximity and interaction with one another would spark rumors. She also had no doubt that eventually a display of their feelings for one another would surface in public.

She had to prepare herself. She had to practice. She had to not look like a complete fool.

After all, that was his job.

Weiss smiled at the thought. What a fool he was. One her father would never approve of.

That thought made her smile even more.

It wasn't as if this relationship was an act of rebellion against the man. No, she was more aware of her motivations than ever before following the debacle of using Jaune for her own purposes. She liked Jaune for Jaune. She enjoyed being with him. Both in physical proximity as well as relationship status. If it just so happened to rub her father the wrong way, well, that was just icing on the cake.

"Weiss?"

A soft voice. A cautious one. Jaune's voice.

She turned around, her eyes piercing the darkness to see the open stairwell from where the boy had emerged from. "I'm here."

The blonde started forward, his head tilted up as he gazed up at the darkness blanketing Vale. "Wow. I never knew there was such a nice view up here."

She hadn't either. That too was an unexpected bonus.

"It's peaceful up here," she said. "Away from all the other students. The stars are a nice touch too."

He moved to stand beside her. Once there had existed an unspoken rule of personal space between them. When they had been training, when they had been sort of friends, he would have never stood this close to her. So close that the sleeves of his hoodie grazed the thin fabric of her bolero.

A faint chuckle slipped through his lips. "I think you like it just so you can look down on all the little people."

Once upon a time she might have taken such words at face value. She might have thought that he was making a comment about her Schnee name. That he was calling her an arrogant elitist.

Now, however, she knew that he was just being an idiot.

Weiss brought a hand up to his arm and lightly shoved him. "Oh shut up," she replied playfully.

Her hand lingered on him for a second longer than necessary. There was still something so thrilling about physical contact with the young man she cared for. It raged against every instinct she possessed. Every lesson which had been drilled into her. It wasn't even any kind of amorous touch. It was the simple act of her hand upon him. It was exhilarating. Foreign. New. It sent shivers down her spine.

Shivers he must have noticed.

He began fidgeting with his hoodie. "You know for someone as cold as you are, you really do get cold easily."

"I'm not cold," she protested. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

By the time she had replied he had already removed his hoodie. "Here," he said as he held it out to her.

Memories of Patch flooded back to her mind. The time he had given her his jacket by the lake. The jacket she had picked out for him. The only surviving piece of that outfit following the Ursa attack.

Again, she recognized the gesture for what it was. That classic, and at this point stereotypical act of courtship. The chivalrous knight suffering the wrath of the elements for the sake of his lady. Never mind the fact that it wasn't even cold out. That she wasn't even cold herself. However... she did want to become more comfortable with acts of affection. So that she wouldn't make a fool of herself or him in the future.

She took the hoodie without further protest. "Thank you."

After slipping it on Weiss could not help but feel like she did in fact look like a fool now. The thing hung so low that it might as well have been a short skirt on her. Sleeves hung from her arms, giving them an almost winged, bat-like appearance. Should she have needed to jump off the roof for any reason she was confident that she would be able to glide down to the ground on the fabric wings.

Jaune's light laughter filled her ears as he looked her up and down. "Looks better on you anyway."

She gave him a harsh glare, uncertain on whether or not his comment was sarcasm. Even that idiot must have realized that it could probably fit two of her comfortably inside of it.

"It doesn't even fit me properly," she argued.

His smile didn't waver. "I know. That's why it looks so cute."

Weiss felt her cheeks warm as she looked away from him. "Are you sure?"

"Of course. Keep it."

"But it's yours."

Jaune shook his head. "Nah, you fixed it, remember? It's yours. Just like I am."

She was happy to be wearing the oversized hoodie now. The words sent further chills down her body.

 _Yours._

Weiss had never had much of anything that she had been able to call her own. Everything in her life was her fathers. What belonged to her? Myrtenaster? That was it. Nothing else was hers.

But Jaune... Jaune was hers. And hers alone.

"Yours," she whispered softly. "That's nice to hear."

He shrugged. "It's the truth. And you're mine. Right?"

There was such hope in his voice. Such gentleness. Such innocence. It was all ripe for the exploiting.

He loved to tease her. Yang loved to tease her. Everyone loved to tease the uptight little princess. The cold and stern ice queen.

Well. Two could play that game.

"No," she replied. "Mine. You're mine. And I'm mine." She smiled the most genuine smile she could muster. "Everything's mine."

Clearly that had not been the answer Jaune had been expecting. The look on his face... oh it was priceless. "Everything?"

"Everything."

"What about Ruby? Is she yours too?"

Weiss nodded. "Yes. She's my partner, and no one else's."

"What about Yang?"

"She's by burden." Memories of the past semester returned to her mind. Memories from Patch. "My annoying, loudmouth blonde burden."

Jaune gave her a strange, uncertain look as thought about his next words. "...Blake?"

"My conscience. A reminder of why I must be better than my father when I finally take control of my company."

"What about-"

"Shh," she said, silencing the boy in an instant. "Jaune. You don't seem to understand. You're mine. They're mine. The whole world is mine." That sweet and completely sincere smile remained on her face, as if she believed every word she was saying. "It just doesn't realize it yet."

For long seconds he stared at her. A mixture of confusion and horror looked back at her serene smile. It was too much. She wasn't good at this sort of thing. She broke first.

A most unladylike snort shot through her nose, and soon enough she had begun to giggle uncontrollably. "Oh, Jaune. You should see your face right now."

As she continued to laugh he closed his eyes and let out a large sigh. "Weiss... don't ever do that again. You seriously sounded... looked like a psychopath."

Finally. Finally she had gotten something over on him. She, the girl who was forever teased, had finally become the teaser. It felt good. She felt good. She felt proud of herself knowing that a few months ago she would have never been able to perform a stunt like that.

"Serves you right," she smirked.

"What did I do?"

"Everything."

"Everything?"

"Everything," she confirmed.

He chuckled. "If you say so."

Weiss still beamed from her victory. She felt warm. It wasn't just the fact that she was clad in an oversized hoodie. Just being by him like this, joking around, acting so informal around him. It made her feel so comfortable. Bold. Wanting to press on with her plan.

"Jaune," she said.

"Yeah?"

"This roof..." She looked up to the sky, then back down to her feet. "It's private, don't you think?"

A glance over to the boy showed him looking around them. _Pick up on the hint,_ she thought. _Pick up pick up pick up._

"Yeah," he agreed. "It's pretty private."

Her eye twitched. How was she going to ever become comfortable with public shows of affection if she never got to do any?

It wasn't as if she could just come out and tell him to kiss her. How embarrassing would that be? Maybe if he wasn't such an _idiot_ he would be able to recognize the clues she was leaving for him.

"It's nice," she continued. "Because while it's out in the open, there's no one around."

"Yup," he agreed once more. "I like it."

She shot him another glance. Idiot. Total and utter idiot. That's what he was. Why did she have to fall for someone so oblivious?

She would simply have to try again. "I mean, when you think about it, no one can ever see up-"

"Weiss."

She looked over to him, surprised that he had cut her off. "Yes?"

"If you want me to kiss you, just say so."

Another twitch. That... that idiot! He knew what she wanted all along. Was this some sort of vengeance? Some petty act for what she had just done?

She looked away, clearing her throat. "I realize that I'm not the most... openly affectionate of people," she said. "Which is why I would like to attempt to become more so through exposure therapy."

There was silence for a few moments. Weiss looked back over to him, where she saw Jaune blink a few times. "Wow," he deadpanned. "You really know how to melt a man's heart."

"Shut up," she said softly.

"No no," he insisted. "That was cute. I like how awkwardly adorable you are when it comes to this stuff..." he trailed off. This time he looked away. "Because honesty, I am too. This is all still so new to me. I'm trying my best not to screw things up. To not do or say the wrong thing."

That confession was comforting. Weiss at least knew she wasn't alone in her anxiety. Her uncertainty. Her inexperience. Knowing Jaune how she did, she would not have expected him to be some sort of suave lady's man. However hearing him come out and admit that he was in the same boat as he was reassuring.

"I, um, feel the same way," she admitted.

"So..." He placed his hands on her hips. His touch made her hot and cold at the same time. It was paradoxical. Yet it somehow worked. "Do you like my hands here? Or should I hold your face like you did the first time we kissed?"

Her heart was thumping. Despite having been here before, it was still such a new experience. While it may have been a cold and sterile term, exposure therapy would indeed make them more comfortable with these kinds of acts.

"This is fine," she said. "I... I'm ready if you are."

He nodded. "Yeah. I guess we close our eyes now."

"Right." Weiss began moving towards his face. Her eyes closed, and her head turned to the side.

And her nose smacked right into his.

For a brief moment her eyes squeezed shut, more in surprise than pain, as she drew her body backwards. When she opened them again she saw Jaune rubbing his nose.

"Ow," he said half-heartedly.

"Why did you turn right?" she asked.

"Why did you turn left?"

"I don't know!" she exclaimed. "I'm left-handed! Left makes sense to me!"

He laughed. It was one of the last reactions she would have expected following their failed attempt at a kiss. However, at the same time the laugh was reassuring. A simple little screw up like that wasn't the end of the world. It was just another experience in their budding relationship.

"You know, this was a lot easier when you ambushed me with a kiss like you did the first time."

She knew there was nothing inherently bad with what he said, but there was just something about that word which seemed off. "Excuse me? I did not _ambush_ you."

"You totally did," he argued. "Out of nowhere."

"I did not. The signs were all there. You were just too oblivious to pick up on them at the time." She folded her arms across her chest. "Then again I should expect no less out of a dunce like you."

"Oh yeah? What kinds of signs?"

"Well. First of all, there was-"

Weiss never finished, as Jaune took all of the initiative this time and brought her close. She barely had a chance to gasp in surprise before his lips crashed down onto hers. There was no nose bump this time. No time to think. No time to prepare. Just the taste and feel of his mouth against hers. The feeling of his arms around her body.

She unfolded her arms which had been pinned down between her body and his own before wrapping them around him. He felt wonderful. This moment felt wonderful. Here under the starlight everything was perfect.

Eventually they were forced to separate, but their arms remained around one another. He was right, loathe as she was to admit it. Preparing and stressing over the act had only brought them disaster. Going in and... ambushing the other seemed to work. At least for now while they were still getting used to this.

"See?" he gloated. An annoying and smug smirk was plastered on his lips. "It's easier with a sneak kiss."

Weiss giggled. "Is that what we're calling it now?"

"It's either that or ambush."

She rolled her eyes at the choices she was given. "Sneak kiss it is. It sounds far more romantic. Ambush just makes me think of a military operation."

Military. She wondered what Winter would think of all of this. Her sister must have received her letter by now. There was probably a response coming any day now. It would be too little too late. And she meant that in the best way possible.

Jaune moved one of his hands up to her face, gentle nudging a few errant strands of hair out of her face. His finger brushed over the scar which marred her face in the process. She shied away from his touch.

He stopped immediately. His expression turned to concern. His voice was equally as full of it. "Weiss?"

She shook her head softly. "It's okay," she whispered. "It's just... I'm a little self-conscious about my scar."

The look on his face showed genuine confusion. "What? Why?"

"It's ugly. I'm..." _You must be perfect._ "I'm not perfect."

"That's okay. You don't need to be perfect. I don't want you to be perfect." He gazed down into her eyes, as if to prove the truthfulness of his words. "I want you. Scarred, sideways ponytail-wearing, pushy Weiss and all the flaws that come with her. Because... a person's imperfections are what make them beautiful."

Weiss felt a lump in her throat. Like her heart was trying to burst forth from her body. No one had ever called her scar beautiful before.

"So... you don't care that I'm broken?"

Jaune smiled. "I'm pretty broken too. So let's... I don't know. Fix each other?"

Weiss knew she was ever the perfectionist. She enjoyed fixing things. Jaune, as she had seen throughout their entire time training, was in dire need of fixing. Maybe he could help fix her own emotional baggage as well.

She closed her eyes and smiled. "Was that supposed to be your idea of something romantic?" she asked as she looked back up at him.

"I don't know. I guess. Was it?"

"Good enough," she said as she decided to be the aggressor this time, and leaned up to kiss him once more.

* * *

 _Dear Weiss,_

 _I am relieved to hear that this ugly and unnecessary business with the Arc heir has finally drawn to a close. While you may not have received your desired result, I am sure that you have learned from the experience. As students, as warriors, and as people, we learn more from our failures than we do our successes. Perhaps it is for the best that events with the boy you made a wager with turned out the way that they did._

 _To make amends with a person you have hurt is not an easy thing. It is not a pleasant thing. However, I do believe with all of my heart that you will find a way to do so. You are a stronger person than you think you are, Weiss. You are not one to give up so easily. Over the past few years our time together may have been limited, but do not think that I have not been watching over you all this time._

 _Every time you have set your mind to a task, you have succeeded in it. It was you who desired to train as a huntress, and you did. It was you who expressed your wish to study at Beacon Academy rather than in Atlas, and you did. It was you who fought against, and defeated father's test in order to prove that you were ready to step out on your own. It was you, Weiss, who found herself tangled up in a web of lies with a friend and sought to escape it. From what your most recent letter has told me, you have achieved just that. I am supremely confident that you will achieve all of your dreams and wishes when it comes to Jaune Arc._

 _As for the final part of your letter, Weiss, I will say this. I will be the first to admit that I do not have a great deal of experience in the field of love. It is a difficult subject, as it cannot be defined or measured. It is simply something that you feel inside of you. There is no right or wrong answer. If you feel it you will know it, even if you do not recognize it at the moment. You must merely follow what your instincts tell you is the correct path._

 _Since we are merely speaking hypothetically, as you insisted, I do not know how much value my advice will hold. Hypothetically speaking, a healthy relationship is one which would be built on honesty and trust, rather than lies and deception. Hypothetically speaking, partners are encouraged to communicate their feelings to one another. Hypothetically speaking, the intent of a question is sometimes as important as the answer._

 _Hypothetically speaking, my dear sister, sometimes an outside influence is required to push people who are too stubborn or oblivious to see the truth that is right in front of them. A truth that has been apparent to an outsider since they last spoke via the Cross Continental Transit system._

 _Take care of yourself, Weiss. I wish you all of the best in whatever your future holds for you._

 _Love,_

 _Winter_

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Pure fluff. I thought everyone deserved it at this point of the story.

Wow. Let me start off by saying that I never expected this story to get this big. Both in word count and popularity. I want to thank everyone for all of your support over the course of this story. I never expected so many people to like it. All of you who have ever read, reviewed, favorited and followed, thank you.

Next, I want to thank Myareska. In case you didn't know by this point, the whole reason I was inspired to write this story is because I started reading "Just A Few Pointers". In fact once I started writing this way back in August of 2016, I was concerned that his story would influence me more, so I stopped reading it entirely. Now I can finally get back to it. I'll definitely have to start over from the beginning. If you haven't done so already, make sure to check out Myareska's stories.

And, I want to thank everyone on the Jaune Shipping Discord server. All of the discussion we had about the story, all of the ideas that were bounced around, were critical in making this story what it was. I'm happy I was able to talk to so many people about it in real time.

So yeah, this may have been the first RWBY story I posted, but it won't be the last. I have another ongoing fic right now, called Take a Walk on the Wild Side. It's all about Jaune and the Malachite twins. Maybe you should check it out if you haven't already.

I also have future fics planned. What's next? I suppose you'll just have to wait and see. I have a lot more White Knight ideas. And ideas for other pairings as well. It all depends on which idea I can get behind the most.

A portion of Weiss' "mine" dialogue was taken from a White Knight comic which I can't find the source for. If you happen to know who drew it let me know. I'd love to give the artist credit.

And finally, you may notice that I'm not marking this story as complete yet. The actual story is complete, but there may be a little extra bonus chapter coming in the near future. Maybe. Hypothetically.

As always, thank you all for reading. I hope you enjoyed the story.


	29. Omake: The Dance Part 1

Tonight was going to be special. Magical. A night to remember. Yang had said so herself, and Weiss found herself hard-pressed to disagree.

She was practically begging the mirror to tell her something as she stood in front of it for what must have been the hundredth time tonight. Examining herself from every angle possible, she looked over her choice in dress again and again. The white number suited her, matching the color of her hair perfectly. Speaking of which, her off-center ponytail remained, hanging down over the back of her right shoulder. A part of her briefly considered doing something special with her hair to change it up on this occasion. However she realized that she did not need to. Had Jaune not mentioned that he enjoyed that uneven part of her simply because it _was_ a part of her? She would leave the fussing over hair to Yang.

Speaking of Yang, the blonde emerged from the team's bathroom. In the mirror's reflection Weiss saw the girl roll her eyes. "Again, Weiss?"

Pale blue eyes narrowed, not bothering to look back as she turned her hips once more to get a better angle at the side of her dress. "Is there a problem?"

"No. There isn't. And that's exactly the point." Yang moved to stand next to her, lightly swatting the girl's ponytail playfully. "You look beautiful. There's no reason to keep doubting yourself."

Weiss didn't doubt herself. Despite how much she had changed as a person over the previous semester, she wasn't about to lie to herself. She knew that she was gorgeous. She wouldn't deny that for the sake of trying to sound more humble.

"I'm aware of that. However I am merely attempting to be certain that I look perfect for tonight."

Yang laughed. "Come on, Weiss. You could wear a garbage bag to the dance and Jaune would still say you're the most beautiful girl in the room." The blonde girl ran a hand through her hair, flipping a portion of it back over her shoulder as she too looked in the mirror. "I mean he'd be wrong, of course. But his opinion is still valid when it comes to just the two of you."

"Very funny," Weiss said humorlessly. "I suppose that's why you also chose to wear a white sleeveless dress for the evening? What's wrong? Was yellow not available?"

The fact that three of the girls wore dresses which matched the colors of their hair was not lost upon Weiss. Then there was Yang. For some reasons she had chosen to wear white instead of something to match her hair. Deep down Weiss knew it was the correct choice. It was hard to pull off a yellow dress. Still, it gave the heiress ammunition to use against her chief rival when it came to the looks department.

Their choices of attire were similar. Both were sleeveless pieces. Both went down to just above their respective wearer's knees. The only real difference was that the yoke of Weiss' own dress had a translucent mesh, where Yang's did not.

It wasn't often that Weiss did reveal so much skin. Her arms and shoulders were entirely exposed, as was a small amount of her cleavage. It was classy, but not overly formal. It wasn't as if she would be attending an Atlesian ball or performing on stage. It was modest, but not prudish. She did not feel the need to draw the hungry gazes of boys by showing off too much skin, but at the same time she was not afraid to show what she did have for the one boy who did matter.

"Don't be jealous because I pull it off better than you," Yang joked.

"In your dreams."

Yang had apparently finished her own final preparations, stepping away from the mirror and towards the door. "Come on. If we don't hurry up we'll be late for the opening ceremony. Ruby and Blake are already down there waiting for us."

The threat of missing the opening for the dance which she had helped to plan did not phase the girl. Sure, she could go with Yang right now and arrive early. However she knew she couldn't do that. She had a date, after all. It simply would not do to show up separately from her boyfriend of several weeks now.

The fact that she had not moved nor responded must have prompted Yang to continue. Her voice softened compared to what it had been before. "Weiss. You look amazing. He's going to love it."

"Yes," she said knowingly. "You go ahead without me. I'll be down when he picks me up."

"What time did you tell him to get here?"

"6:50."

"What!" Yang practically shouted. "You told Jaune to pick you up ten minutes before the dance started?"

"It's called being fashionably late, Yang." Weiss smiled at the mental imagery in her head. "So that when he and I arrive, our arms interlocked as he escorts me into the room, all eyes will be upon us and only us. There will be an entire room to witness our arrival."

Such public displays had grown easier to participate in since their second semester at Beacon had started. Once the gossip had begun to spread and it became a publically known fact that they were an item, hiding such things was seen as trivial and pointless to the girl. In fact it would have said more about her if she was unwilling to be seen in public with Jaune than openly making her affection known to him.

Yang shook her head amusedly. "Wow. I know you've become a lot more tolerable to deal with, but sometimes you're still as egotistical as ever."

"Says the girl who just said that she'll be the most beautiful girl in the room."

"Yeah, well, you can't argue with cold hard facts."

Weiss smiled. "Which is why I enjoy arguing with you."

The blonde stuck her tongue out at the slight. "Anyway, I'm heading out now. Just be sure you don't spend all night fooling around up here with Jaune when he gets here. You need to enjoy the dance that you helped make happen."

For a brief moment Weiss' mind betrayed her. Thankfully she did not offer a physical reaction that the blonde girl could have picked up on.

She turned, finally looking away from the mirror to set her sight upon Yang. "Excuse me, we are not going to 'fool around'," she said making quotations with her fingers. "I am merely awaiting my escort to the dance, and once he arrives we will depart. Perhaps you would know how it felt too had somebody asked you."

Now it was her teammate's lilac eyes which narrowed. "Please. I'll have you know that for the past few days I've been beating off guys left and right."

 _Word choice, Yang,_ the heiress thought cruelly. It wasn't the first time she had been given such an opening. She would pounce on it, giving her teammate a taste of her own medicine.

"Wow, with both hands at the same time?" Weiss asked with faux amazement. "Still, you really should not be proud of such promiscuity, Yang. We're just lucky Ruby wasn't around to hear this admission."

She smiled at the "sick burn", as Yang or Ruby might call it. Clearly the blonde had not been expecting it. Clearly it only now dawned upon her how the words she had used might be interpreted. Yang could have never foreseen such an attack coming from the prim and proper little Ice Queen.

Yang opened her mouth to say something, but stopped. Instead she simply chose to open the door to the team's dorm and left. She must have known that Weiss had gotten the better of her that round. There would be certain retribution sometime down the line, but for the moment, Weiss was simply pleased that she had beaten Yang at her own game. At the same time she did not know whether or not she should be horrified that she had done so.

Finally she was alone. There was nothing but her own thoughts to keep her company until Jaune arrived. A look at her scroll showed that she still had around twenty minutes until he was scheduled to arrive. That was fine. More than fine. Perfect.

The truth was that Weiss was nervous. What Yang had not known when she had uttered her little comment was that there was more truth to it than she realized. The only thing she got wrong was that it would be occurring after the dance rather than before.

As Yang had said, tonight would be special. One to remember. Weiss had made her own personal plans to make sure that statement was proven true.

She and Jaune had been dating for weeks now. During that time they had grown more comfortable with one another. Whether it was in public or private, they enjoyed one another's company. They enjoyed the physical and emotional perks which came with being in a stable and caring relationship with another. It was only natural. They were teenagers. Even those with the greatest sense of control and restraint were not immune to their natural biological urges. They were not exempt from their hormones which raged at this time in their young lives.

It wasn't as if Weiss was ignorant to that type of knowledge. When she had hit puberty, Winter deemed it necessary and proper to give her "the talk" about such subjects. In addition Weiss was well versed in biology and anatomy, just like any other field of science. She knew the secrets of her body. She knew the secrets of the male body. However up to this point all of that knowledge was merely theoretical in her mind.

It was just that for the first time in her life she felt like putting some of this information to use. It wasn't that she was planning on having sex tonight. No, not this soon. However, she did want to share more affection with him than what they had done previously. Before Jaune she had never felt that way about another person before. There was never anyone she could have imagined sharing such intimacy with. Now however, on the night of the dance, a night which Yang had touted as special, one to remember, she felt as if the time was right.

The issue was that such thoughts still made her incredibly nervous. Despite how far she had come, she still did have hang ups when it came to shows of affection. Especially new and daring ones like what she wanted to do tonight. She wanted Jaune to begin exploring her body tonight. She wanted to begin exploring his for the first time as well. The thought of it all was thrilling. Exhilarating. Even now her heart was pounding in her chest just thinking about it. To share something so personal and intimate with another was a truly special thing. One she wanted.

She also knew that she needed to calm down. If she was too on edge the night could end in disaster. She could push him away just like she had done after kissing him for the first time. She could call what she wanted to do a mistake. It would be devastating. Both for him and herself. No, she needed to relax if tonight was to go perfectly.

That was why she had enlisted the help of Yang once more, even if the blonde girl did not realize it. Going to the team's closet, she rummaged around until she found a bottle from Yang's not so secret stash. It was half full of some clear liquid. It would just have to do.

It wasn't as if she had never drank before. The formal parties and galas back in Atlas served the finest wines regularly, and Weiss had partaken in more than her fair share. Sometimes it was simply to be polite. Sometimes it was out of curiosity. Sometimes it was so that she could calm down, just like she was doing now. After all, being stuck beside her father all night did little to help maintain her composure. However she did have her rule of only partaking in a single glass. She would not become like her mother. Alcohol was not a crutch for the heiress.

As she drank from the glass she had poured herself, Weiss could not help but blanch at the taste of Yang's choice of alcohol. It was wretched. Vile. Horrific. And every other negative word she could think of. Did the blonde simply have no sense of taste? Or could she not afford anything better than this? Weiss didn't know. She had only ever been exposed to the finest quality of wine before. Maybe this brand was what normal people like Yang drank.

Either way it would do the job. It would help to calm her nerves for the evening. An evening with Jaune. An evening to remember.

* * *

Jaune stood outside of Team RWBY's dorm room watching the seconds count down on his scroll. He had been there for five minutes already, as to ensure he would not be late. He wanted to arrive at precisely 6:50 to show Weiss that he could follow such simple instructions. He wanted tonight to go flawlessly. Everyone was excited for the dance. He was no different.

In his other hand he held a single white rose, which he would present to Weiss. It wasn't much, but at least it was a gesture that he was sure the girl would appreciate. He wondered what she would do with it. It wasn't enough to stick in a vase. He doubted that anyone on Team RWBY even possessed such an item. Maybe she would wear it somewhere on her dress? Her hair? Or maybe it would be discarded entirely. Even if it was the last one, he didn't mind. The rose was simply a representation of his feelings for his girlfriend. Those feelings were what truly mattered, rather than something material.

The clock on his scroll hit the fifty minute mark, and he closed it before shoving it back into the pocket of his black tuxedo. It was time.

Taking a deep breath, Jaune lightly rapped his knuckles on the door a trio of times.

For a few long seconds there was nothing. Weiss was probably on her way to open the door. It turned out that he was wrong, when he heard the voice from inside. "It's open!"

It was odd, but he didn't think much of it. Jaune opened the door and stepped inside. He found Weiss sitting on one of the bottom bunks which her team had crudely constructed.

"Hey, Weiss," he said with a smile. He lifted his hand which carried the rose, displaying it for her. "I, uh, I brought you this."

The girl gasped at the sight. It was an unusual show of emotion from her. Perhaps she was getting caught up in the moment. "For me?" she asked in what seemed to be amazement.

Jaune felt a little proud. Such a simple gesture clearly meant a lot to the girl. He beamed with pride inside. "Yup. For you."

Weiss stood up from the bottom bed, gripping the one which hung precariously above it a she made her way over to where Jaune stood. There was something about the way she walked which was off.

Or rather, the way she stumbled.

She reached him, grasping the rose with one hand while her other grabbed hold of the front of his shirt. "It'sss beautiful, Jaune! Thank you!"

Something about the way she spoke was setting off alarms in Jaune's mind. She seemed extremely happy. That wasn't too much of an odd thing for the girl anymore, especially when they were together. However... she just seemed extremely enthusiastic at the sight of a single flower.

"But not as beautiful as you are," he smiled. Growing up with seven sisters had taught him much about women. Nights like tonight meant the world to them. "You look amazing, Weiss. Somehow even more amazing than usual."

The words must have done the trick, as she looked up at him with an enormous grin. "Thanksss," she said. "And you... and you look really, _really_ handsome."

It wasn't often that he wore a tuxedo. It wasn't often that he dressed what most would consider nice, period. However he knew from the clothes which Weiss had once chosen for him that she enjoyed the formal or semi-formal look. The black pants and jacket he wore right now were right up her alley.

"Thanks," he said in turn. She was still clinging to his torso. Almost as if she was using him for support. His pride for impressing her was quickly turning to concern. "Are you feeling alright?"

Weiss nodded her head enthusiastically. "I'm fine," she said as she began to reach up, standing on her toes. "I'll show you how fine I am."

At the same time she lifted herself up, her hands drifted up to the back of his neck to pull him down. Their lips met in a kiss which he could only describe as wet and sloppy. That was when he realized it. That was when he tasted it.

Something utterly foreign on Weiss' breath.

Jaune pulled back, clear concern now in his eyes. "Weiss? Are you drunk?"

The heiress shook her head as wildly as she had nodded it before. "No," she protested sharply. "I'm not _drunk_."

He wasn't buying it. Not for a moment. "But did you drink at all tonight?"

It was far too early for some wild teenage prank like that to go down. He half expected someone to spike the punch at the dance... if there was even a punch bowl. But right now? Before they had even arrived? How would she have even gotten any?

"I only had _one glass_ ," she admitted. "I've had _one glass_ before and wasss... just fine."

One glass. That made no sense. Now that he tasted what was on her breath, the smell was overwhelmingly apparent as well. She was drunk. He knew it. Even if she didn't.

"What did you have one glass of?" he asked. "I'm just curious."

"I'll show you!" she said with strange enthusiasm.

Weiss practically skipped over to the closet. After a few moments she came back, almost stumbling as she did so. In her hands she held a bottle out to him. The way she held it with one hand holding the bottom and the other on top almost made it seem like she was presenting it to him. Like she was paying him some sort of tribute.

Jaune took hold of the bottle and looked it over. He was unfamiliar with the brand, not being a drinker himself. However growing up with four older sisters did mean that he knew a little bit about alcohol. One thing on the label stood out at him in particular.

"100 proof?" he thought aloud. He looked back over to Weiss, who was merely eyeing him curiously. "And you said you had one glass of this?"

"Mmmhmm," she nodded.

"Like... a shot glass?"

"Like... a glass glass."

A glass. Of 100 proof vodka. With her body mass and probably total lack of tolerance.

That poor, poor girl.

They were not going to the dance tonight. Absolutely not. He was surprised the girl could walk as well as she was.

"It tasssted awful," Weiss continued. "Yang sucks."

So this was Yang's fault. Even if only indirectly. He had no doubt in his mind that Yang had not willingly given Weiss this to drink. Not even the blonde girl would come up with such a cruel prank on a night as important as this. No, this was Weiss' own doing. He just wondered why.

He had to make the call. At best Weiss would simple embarrass herself on the dance floor in front of the entire school. At worst she could seriously injure herself by falling into something. Or someone.

"Weiss," he began uneasily. "I don't think we should go to the dance tonight."

The look on her face was one of utter betrayal. "What? Why not?"

"Because... you're drunk."

Weiss shook her head. "Jaune. I need you. To know. Even though my voice probably sssounds really drunk right now. I am totally in control of my own mind and body."

She wasn't. But he did not want to start an argument. "Okay. That's good. I don't doubt you."

The girl seemed satisfied with his answer as she went on. "Good. For. Example. If I wanted to touch your butt it would be because I wanted to. Not because of the alcohol."

The words surprised him. However it was nothing compared to the shock when one of her hands reached around and squeezed down on the seat of his pants, earning a small squeak of surprise from the blonde boy.

It ended almost as quickly as it had started, and Weiss took a small step back to take in his reaction. "Sssee? I wanted that. Me."

For long moments Jaune said nothing. Weiss had just... touched him there. Something she hadn't ever done before. It was a bold move which shocked him. Even if the action was fuelled by alcohol, all the drink really did was bring out her honest feelings, right? That meant that Weiss was interested in him like that.

His reaction prompted the heiress to give one of her own. Icy blue eyes widened before she buried her face in her hands. "Oh my gods I just grabbed your butt like a piece of meat." Her head shook wildly as she spoke. "I'm sssorry, Jaune. You're not meat. Even if you are meaty."

It took him a moment to collect his thoughts. Despite the swirl of emotions that were raging inside of his head, his only concern right now was that Weiss was okay. Both physically and emotionally. "It's okay," he said reassuringly. He placed a hand on her shoulder, both to comfort as well as steady her.

Her fingers moved, revealing one of her eyes as she looked up at him. "Really?" she asked hopefully.

"Really," he confirmed. "Now come here. You need to lie down."

"No!" she protested. "We have... to go to the dance."

"No," he echoed. "You need to get some rest. No dancing for you tonight."

She shook her head once more. "I... can dance. Trusst me. I'll show you."

There was no time to stop her before she stepped back and attempted to do what was perhaps supposed to be some sort of ballet spin. She completed one full revolution on one of her feet before she lost her balance and fell back. Her head smacked up against one of the walls with a dull thump.

"Ow..." she whined pitifully.

Jaune was there beside her in a heartbeat. "Weiss are you alright?"

The heiress winced as she rubbed her head. The only verbal response she gave was a soft mewl.

"Come on," he said as he brought an arm around her back to help lift her up. "Let's stand up, alright?"

Slowly but surely he helped bring the girl to her feet. She was so light. So tiny. It was little wonder that Yang's drink hit her so hard. He felt so bad for her. Clearly Weiss had been looking forward to tonight. Her dress was gorgeous. She was gorgeous. And now she wouldn't be able to enjoy what she had helped prepare.

He stood there with her in his arms, and it was clear that she was hanging onto him for dear life at this point even before she spoke. "Jaune. I can't... I can't legs."

Translation: she couldn't stand on her own power. "Walk?" he offered helpfully.

"Yes. Walk is the word."

Maybe now she would finally realize that going to the dance was out of the question. If she could admit to herself that she could not walk without his assistance then maybe she would finally agree to stay in tonight. And he would be there with her in her time of need.

Her words were soft and mellow as she spoke again. "Okay. I admit. I might be ssslightly... sssomething," she slurred. "But I'm not drunk."

Jaune couldn't help but smile at her continued denial of her situation. However she was at least admitting to something. That was a start. "You really need to stop with the 'S' words," he told her. "They make you sound super drunk."

"Ssshut up. My last name is 'S'."

He looked down at her confusedly. "It is?"

"Sssschnee."

"Yes," he agreed. "Yes it is."

"Why do you get to... to say 'S' words, huh?" Her eyes were tired, but they still looked up at him with her typical accusatory glare. "Mr. Yessss."

"That's not..." he started before giving up. He knew what she was trying to say. Even if the letter was on the back of the word instead of the front. "You're right. I'm sorry."

"Ssssorry," she said mockingly. At this point it was apparent to him that Weiss was purposefully emphasizing the 'S' sound for his sake.

Jaune softly shook his head and smiled. This girl truly was one of a kind. That was why he had to treat her as such. "Weiss. Let's go get you into bed, okay? Some rest will make you feel better."

She nodded wordlessly. Maybe falling and hitting her head knocked some sense into her. It was a shame that it had to be done so painfully, but if it helped her then it might be worth it.

As he guided her back to the bottom bunk on her side of the room, Jaune threw aside the sheet atop her bed. He gently helped to sit her down upon the mattress and aided in removing her heels before getting her legs underneath the covers. Finally he tucked her in, bringing the sheet up to the top of her chest.

He turned so that he could go and sit over at the room's desk, but a hand lashed out and grabbed onto his wrist. He looked back to see the girl looking at him with concern.

"Don't go," she whimpered.

It was a heart wrenching expression. He would do his best to dispel it. "I'm not leaving," he told her. "I'll be right over there all night," he said as he pointed to the chair.

Weiss shook her head. "No." She patted the empty space of the mattress next to her. "Here."

There. In bed. Next to Weiss. Jaune felt a chill run down his body. Even if there was nothing inherently sexual about sharing a bed with another person, being that close to her, that intimate... the thought was nothing short of amazing.

"Weiss, I-"

"Here," she repeated. "I want you close to me."

He frowned as he nodded. "Are you sure?"

She nodded. "Mmm."

The grip she had around his wrist was strong. Even in her intoxicated state prying it off of him would not be an easy task. She wanted to be near him. Perhaps as a source of comfort in her condition. Who was he to deny her such a thing?

After removing his own shoes he slipped into the vacant spot next to the girl. His heart was thumping against his ribcage. He was sharing a bed with the most beautiful girl he had ever laid eyes upon. Both of them were fully clothed. Neither had any expectation for it to go any further than this. Still though, it was the most thrilling thing he had ever experienced in his life. Beacon's initiation, the Beowolves in the Emerald Forest, his duel with Cardin, these were nothing compared to this moment right now.

And yet it somehow became even better the moment Weiss threw an arm over his chest, nestling close against him. Jaune complied with her silent request as he lifted an arm of his own and wrapped it around her back. The move only spurred her on, and soon enough her head was resting in the crook of his arm.

They laid there for long minutes, neither saying anything. What needed to be said? What could be said? In this moment Jaune did not feel as if he had to say anything to convey how he felt for her.

Weiss, however, must have felt differently as she broke the silence. "I'm sssorry," she whispered.

He looked down at her to see that her head had not moved. Her eyes were closed against his chest. "For what?"

"Tonight. Was supposed to be special. Now it's ruined."

Her words couldn't have been further from the truth. No, tonight was not ruined one bit. "That's not true," he said.

"It is," she insisted. "We were supposed to go to the dance. And now we can't."

The poor girl. She truly must have felt awful. He gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "It's okay. As long as I'm with you I know we'll have a great time."

A soft moan slipped through her lips as she nuzzled into his chest more. A few seconds later she spoke. "Jaune."

"Yeah?"

"I like you."

He smiled, his hand idly stroking her long white hair. "I like you too."

Her voice was sounding softer by the moment. More tired. The movements of his fingers through her hair was deliberate. He wanted to help her fall asleep. The sooner she slept the sooner she could wake up feeling better.

"No," she disagreed. "I mean I like-like you."

He knew what she had meant all along without any clarification. Still, he would humor her. "I feel the same about you."

Weiss' grip on him tightened at the sound of those words. "Good."

She was almost there. Her words were so soft at this point that she was on the edge of sleep. She just needed a little push over the edge.

So he hummed. Like he had done so many times before to assist putting his younger sisters to sleep, he hummed a simple lullaby. His hand moved from her hair to her back, gently rubbing it to sooth her body. He could feel Weiss' grip on him begin to soften as her body relaxed.

"I can't wait for tonight," she whispered. "I hear the music. Let's dance."

She was out of it now. It wouldn't be long. "Okay. But I need you to get some rest first."

"...kay."

A few seconds later she was gone. A look down at the girl saw her breathing even out. Every soft heave of her back made the boy smile. Weiss looked so calm. So at peace. So beautiful.

Even the small sliver of drool which was hanging from her mouth and onto his chest did not detract from that beauty. A small part of him was tempted to get his scroll out and take a picture of if just so he could tease her later. However he declined to do so in the end. This was a moment that was for his eyes only. One that he would treasure for the rest of his life.

For long minutes he just watched her sleep. Making sure she was okay. When it became apparent that she was happily resting he felt a weariness of his own begin to tug at him.

Jaune closed his eyes, slipping into the most blissful sleep he had ever experienced.

* * *

Noise. A soft noise broke him from his slumber.

His girlfriend was still curled up in his arms. The lights above hurt his eyes as he took in the room around him. It wasn't his dorm. What time was it? How long had he been out?

The door opened, and the muffled voices from the other side came into full effect as a trio of familiar faces stepped inside. Once they laid eyes on the pair in bed they stopped in their tracks.

All three had expressions of surprise on their faces. Ruby was the most vocal of them as she brought her hands up to her face, attempting and failing to suppress an excited squeal. Yang looked at him with a shit-eating grin on her face. Clearly she had the wrong idea.

Weiss began to stir in his arms, and Jaune was quick to bring a finger up to his lips to quiet the other girls down. They did so, noticing that Weiss was still asleep.

The door gently closed, and the others stood there not knowing what to do. Not knowing what to say. Even if they had wanted to, they knew they had to be quiet lest they awaken a sleeping heiress and suffer her wrath.

As Yang approached them she must have noticed that both were still fully clothed. "When you two didn't show up we thought that you were off being naughty somewhere," she whispered. She pointed to the sleeves of his tuxedo. "But I guess it looks like you didn't get lucky after all."

Jaune looked at Yang and smiled. "Lucky," he said amusedly, as he looked down to the face of the sleeping snow angel in his arms. "I already am."

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Believe it or not this was not the extra chapter I spoke of at the end of the story. This is just an idea that was discussed, and one I really wanted to write.

Since I won't be covering more of the canon storyline, are these kinds of omakes something you'd like to see more of? Rather than writing a few hundred thousand more words, just focus on individual moments like this? Let me know.

I hope you enjoyed this little bonus.


	30. Omake: The Dance Part 2

**Author's Note:** So I heard some people wanted a glimpse of the morning after Weiss' drunk adventure. Sure, why not?

* * *

Heavy eyelids cracked open slowly. Uneasily. Painfully. There was light. Why was there light? Light hurt. Her eyes closed almost immediately after the painful sensation had invaded.

Weiss felt warm. Incredibly warm. Like her pillow and mattress were heated. Such luxurious items were not unheard of in the cold kingdom of Atlas. However, she was not in Atlas. She was...

Her eyes burst open this time, uncaring of the searing pain that came with the natural light that was filtering in through the window. Her pillow was moving. Breathing. Lifting her head it was not hard to see why.

Jaune.

Her mind went into overdrive. Last night. What. What had happened last night. She could scarcely remember a thing.

A look around revealed her to still be at Beacon. Her heart was racing, and even this revelation did little to calm her. Why was she sharing a bed with Jaune? What had they done?

Bits and pieces of the night before were starting to come back to her. What had she done last night? What had she said?

"Good morning, sleeping beauty."

Weiss' gaze turned from Jaune and over to another person in the room. It hadn't even registered that someone else had even been there. It was Yang who had spoke, looking down at her from the top of her own bunk bed. A glance to the bottom showed that Blake was not there. Was Ruby still in bed above her?

Maybe it was Yang's voice which did it, but Weiss' head began to throb. She wouldn't put it past the annoying blonde to be the cause of her headache rather than...

 _One glass._

Somehow, some way, she had gotten completely and totally wasted the previous night. Off of only a single glass of alcohol. Now she was suffering the consequences. Now she was hung over.

Her first hangover. After getting so drunk that she could barely remember what had happened the night before.

Weiss looked back down at Jaune before looking back to Yang. "Yang. What time is it?"

The blonde girl pulled her scroll out, glancing down at it for a moment. "A little after nine. Why?"

Nine in the morning. Jaune had been set to pick her up at seven the previous evening. Weiss didn't need to be a genius to do the math. She didn't know how long she had been awake after Jaune arrived. However even if it had been for the majority of the dance, that still meant that she had spent a good twelve hours sleeping. If not more!

Another look down to Jaune. There was a tightness in her chest. She had spent the night with him. In the same bed. After a night of drunken who knows what! Could it... could it have been...

No. Absolutely not. She may have gone into that evening with a few less than innocent ideas in her mind, but there is no way she would have gone that far even in her drunken state. Furthermore, she knew with all of her mind and heart that Jaune would never agree to such a thing if she was intoxicated. He was as kind and gentlemanly as they came. He would want their first time to be special just as she did. One where both of their minds were clear. One they would both remember.

He was still fully clothed as well. As was she. No, they had not done anything inappropriate last night. She nodded to herself, cementing the thought in her mind.

"Weiss?" Yang asked. "Are you okay?"

Her eyes squeezed shut as she rubbed her head, doing her best to massage away the headache which felt like it was drilling holes into her skull. "Yang. What happened last night?"

A small smirk grew on Yang's face as she looked at the heiress knowingly. "Oh. Is that what happened?"

Weiss wasn't in the mood for jokes or riddles. "Yang, please. My head is killing me."

A light chuckle escaped the other girl's lips. "So that _is_ what happened," she said knowingly. "Perfect little Weiss Schnee had a little too much to drink and passed out. Makes sense, after coming back and finding you two here out cold around midnight."

Midnight. That was around the time the dance was supposed to end. Had they left the dance early? What had she done while she was down there? Had she made a fool of herself? Was she going to be a walking punch line come Monday morning?

"What did I do at the dance? Please tell me I didn't embarrass myself too badly."

Yang shook her head. "You two never even showed up."

The words hit Weiss hard. After all of the preparation. All of the fussing over a dress. All of her plans to have a special and intimate night with Jaune. The two had never even made it to the dance... all presumably because she had gotten drunk beforehand.

Weiss hated herself in this moment.

Her sullen mood must have been apparent on her face as Yang spoke again. "But hey, look on the bright side. At least you didn't embarrass yourself. I mean, silver lining and all that good stuff. Right?"

If it was, then it was the thinnest silver lining in the history of Remnant. Sure, she may have ruined her perfect evening with her boyfriend, missed the school dance she had been instrumental in planning, and said who knows what to him in her inebriated state. But at least she hadn't been publically intoxicated!

"I feel..."

"Don't feel bad," Yang said as Weiss trailed off. "I mean, Jaune was with you the whole time, right? I'm sure he will tell you about everything when he wakes up."

"No," Weiss said hurriedly. "I feel like I'm going to throw up."

In an instant Yang's expression changed from compassionate to worried, and not in the empathetic kind of way. It was closer to the "you had better not get any of that on me" kind of way.

Quickly moving over Jaune's prone body, Weiss made a mad dash to Team RWBY's bathroom, not even bothering to close the door behind her.

* * *

Jaune was awoken to a horrible sound. At first it had just been on the edge of his consciousness as he was halfway between awake an asleep. However then he heard it again. It had a familiarness to it which grabbed his attention, but was so utterly alien that he wasn't one hundred percent sure it could be who he thought it was.

That was when he realized that his poor, drunk, sleeping girlfriend was no longer in his arms. Every time he had woken up earlier, she had still been there. He had content to drift off back to sleep until she finally was awake. Now she was finally gone. It didn't take long for his mind to connect the dots. It didn't take long for him to realize what was happening.

He sat up on the girl's bed and took in the room around him. His body flinched at the sight of Yang across the room.

"Good morning, vomit boy," she greeted with her usual humorous tone. "Vomit girl is currently... busy at the moment."

Since when was that Weiss' nickname? He supposed it didn't matter. It would be a fitting one after today.

"I knew that'd be good," she continued. "Mr. and Mrs. Vomit. I like the sound of that."

Jaune however did not like the sound of what was coming from the bathroom. He had drank before back home, mostly just to see what it was like. Older sisters were good for that sort of thing. He did not ever drink to the point where he had actually gotten drunk, however. He had never puked his guts out like his poor girlfriend was right now.

He stood up, not quite sure what he was going to do afterward. His first instinct was to rush to the bathroom, but at the same time he knew Weiss. She wouldn't want him to see her in this... state.

Still, he had to do something. All he could think of was ask Yang one stupid question. "Is she okay?"

The girl shrugged. "Seemed fine enough when she woke up. Well, as fine as you can be with a hangover."

Jaune nodded uneasily. Despite never having had one himself, he felt as if he knew what he could expect her to be going through. Vomiting. Headaches. Moodiness. She would feel like garbage for the next few hours. He was determined that she would not have to do so alone.

Finally it stopped. An eerie silence settled over the room, and Jaune hoped that she had not been heaving so hard that she passed out face down in the toilet. Considering he had heard no splash... that just seemed like an unusually specific outcome.

Then she emerged. Weiss, still clad in the beautiful white dress she had purchased for the dance, looked utterly horrible. There were stains on her chest. There were smudges in her hair. The kinds which would have sent the girl into hysterics had she had the energy flail about like a madwoman.

It turned out that in her condition she only had the energy to cry. "I... I got it in my hair..." she said as tears began to well up in her eyes.

Jaune's heart went out to her. Her hair. Her beautiful, pristine hair which was as white as freshly fallen snow. He knew that the only person who treasured her hair more than Weiss was Yang herself. The poor, poor girl. Her suffering had not ended even after sleeping off her drunkenness. Now she would have to deal with the fallout, and all of the... messiness that came with it.

Yang moved now. Not towards Weiss like a good friend and teammate. But away. With her back up against the wall as she crouched on her top bunk. There was a look of pure fear on her face. "Keep... keep it away from my hair..." she whispered frightfully.

Weiss didn't even look at her, staring down at the floor as she sniffed dramatically. "Shut up," she muttered pathetically. "Just... shut up."

He wanted to approach the girl. He wanted to wrap her in a hug and tell her that everything would be okay. To stroke her hair as he had the night before. It's just... he wasn't too keen on getting that stuff on himself. Yang may have still called him vomit boy, but in the end it was only a name.

"I think this is where I step out," Yang said as she hopped down from her bed. She sent a small nudge of her elbow into Jaune's ribs. "You've got this, right, Jaune?"

Did he? He didn't think so. Jaune had never dealt with a situation like this. Not even his sisters had ever presented him with something like this.

"I... uh..." he started. But he was cut off quickly as Yang moved close to him.

"Jaune," she said softly. Her face was close to his ear. "Look under the sink. Draw her a bath. Take care of her. Got it?"

He had no idea what she was getting at, giving his fellow blonde a questioning look. "Yang?"

She shot him a wink. "Trust me, Jaune. I've always been your wingman in this. Even if you were too dumb to realize it at the time."

Yang said no more after that, doing her best to exaggeratedly move around Weiss and escape to the team's door. With her gone, Jaune was alone once more with Weiss.

Weiss sniffed once again. She looked up at Jaune, eyes watery for more reasons than just being sad. "Jaune..."

Biting the bullet, Jaune approached her and placed a hand on her dress which was distinctly unsullied by her sickness.

No, that wouldn't do. At this point he gave up trying to stay clean himself. He shouldn't care. He didn't care. Weiss needed him right now. He would accept all parts of her. Good or bad. Clean or dirty.

He wrapped his arms around her tiny frame and pulled her close to him. "Weiss, it's okay. Everything will be okay."

She leaned her head against his chest. Standing straight up she wasn't even able to reach his shoulder.

Weiss used him for support for the second time in as many days. Only this time it wasn't because she was drunk. She was just feeling so incredibly pathetic that she needed him to lean on. He would be more than happy to oblige.

Burying her head in his chest, Weiss' muffled voice sounded utterly pitiful. "I feel awful," she said softly. "I'm filthy. I stink. And I still taste it..."

Yang's words were still fresh in his mind. Her solution might solve three of Weiss' current problems.

"Let's get you cleaned up then, alright?"

He felt her nod against his chest. "Okay," she whimpered.

Jaune's hands moved from around her back and to her sides, gently pushing the girl away from him so that he could look her in the eyes. Her tired, bloodshot, baggy eyes. He really hoped that she had not looked herself in the mirror yet this morning.

"I'll be right back, okay?" For a moment she looked up at him fearfully, like she was afraid that he was going to leave her and never come back. Finally though, after a few seconds of searching his own eyes for their genuineness, she nodded weakly. "Don't worry. I'm gonna take care of you. How does a bath sound?"

She nodded again. Bringing a hand up she wiped away some of the moisture clinging to her eyes.

Jaune wanted nothing more than to continue to hold her close to try and make her feel better. However he knew that it would solve nothing and only be good in the short term. He had to get her out of her sullied dress. He had to get her cleaned up.

Placing his trust in Yang's words, he went over to the team's bathroom and searched for whatever it was that Yang had told him to look for.

He knew it as soon as he saw it.

* * *

A feeling of pure and utter bliss washed over Weiss. Quite literally too.

The dorm's bathtub was more than sufficient to fit her tiny frame entirely. The same would not have been able to be said about Jaune. At a little bit over six feet tall he would have had to awkwardly bend his knees and sit with his back up against the edge of the tub. It was an amusing mental image that she could not help but smile at. She on the other hand could stretch out comfortably and enjoy the warm, cleansing water as it did its magic.

It was more than just water, however. When Jaune had led her to the bathroom after making his preparations, Weiss had been surprised to see that the tub was nearly overflowing with sudsy foam. The aroma of peppermint filled the room, and the scented bath soap had immediately done wonders to cast the stench of her own sickness from her nostrils. She could feel her sinuses begin to open up. Breathing became easier. The smell and feeling of a brisk winter morning assaulted her senses. She had no idea if the product was designed to do that or not, but in any case, it was already helping to make her body feel better.

Sinking a little bit further into the water, Weiss allowed her loose hair to be submerged as she craned her neck up. For a few seconds she lay there, her face being tickled by the mass of bubbles all around her as she let her filthy hair be saturated by the water. Finally she sat back up, her long white tresses heavy with water that trickled back into the tub.

She wanted to stay in here all day. There were no classes today. She had no obligations. She could very well spend all day in the bath if she wanted. However... she also wanted to talk with Jaune. While there were still gaps in her memory, bits and pieces of it were starting to come back. She couldn't remember exactly what she had said, but she could remember a few of her actions. How she had crashed headfirst into a wall while attempting to prove she could indeed dance that evening. How she had been forced to cling onto Jaune in order to stand upon her weak and wobbly legs.

How she had... grabbed Jaune in a certain place.

The thought made her pale skin flush. Yes. She had done that. The memory was utterly horrifying. Embarrassing beyond belief. To have treated him in such a manner, to have had so little control over her urges. It was indeed for the best that she had never made it to the dance.

She flinched when she heard a knock on the door. "You doing okay?" she heard Jaune ask through the door.

Physically, yes. She was already feeling much better. The bubble bath Jaune had made for her was extremely soothing and relaxing. Emotionally on the other hand...

"I'm fine," she called back. Teeth clenched down on her lower lip. Squeezing her eyes closed, she made a decision. "Jaune?"

"Yeah?"

She looked down upon her submerged body. A copious amount of bubbles completely covered her naked form. She couldn't see a thing underneath the layer of foamy white. With that her decision was made. "Can you come in here?"

Silence. For a few seconds she thought the boy on the other side hadn't heard her. At last, though, he responded. "What?"

Weiss swallowed. He really was going to make her repeat herself, wasn't he? As if the request hadn't been hard enough to say the first time. "Come in, Jaune."

More silence. She could imagine his expression as he stood outside the door. One of confusion. Anxiety. Uncertainty. She probably had a similar look on her own face, had she a mirror on hand to look into.

Again, it took longer than she would have preferred, but he replied. "Are you sure?"

She took another look down at the tub. She was as decent as she was going to get right now. "Just do it."

With that the die was cast. Weiss heard the doorknob turn, and soon enough Jaune pushed inside. A rush of comparatively cold air came with him, and she was thankful that he shut the door behind him as quickly as he did.

He had removed his black jacket, and the top few buttons of his white shirt had been undone. The same was true about the cuffs of his sleeves. Apparently she wasn't the only one who had decided to relax a little bit since waking up.

While he was in the same room as her, Jaune had kept his eyes averted from her the whole time. His gaze was anywhere but her. She appreciated the sentiment, but it would hardly do if they were to have a proper conversation.

"Jaune," she said softly. He still did not meet her eyes. "It's okay. You can look at me."

He did so, and she was both pleased and disappointed that his look focused solely on her own face. The respect he had for her was limitless, and she appreciated that. However she would have been secretly happy if he had attempted to take some sort of peek at her. If he felt as if she was simply too irresistible not to gaze upon. In the end she realized that one extreme was inherently better than the other. She was happy that his was the better of the two.

"Feeling better?" he asked.

Indeed she was. She was feeling a whole plethora of things right now. She was completely nude in the same room as her boyfriend. The fact that only a thick layer of soap bubbles separated her body from him, while comforting, still left very little to her imagination.

"Much," she smiled.

He returned the gesture. As warm and genuine as it was, she still could not help but notice how he stood up against the door, rigid and still as a statue. The fact that he was somehow more uncomfortable with this arrangement than she was amused her.

However, he was here now. She could freely speak her mind about everything that was on it. It was why she had invited him in the first place.

Her arms crossed over her torso underneath the water as she spoke. "I'm sorry," she said simply.

Jaune's brow furrowed as he continued to look into her eyes. "For what?"

"Last night. For... ruining everything."

That was what she had done in her eyes. Ruined everything. All because she had wanted to take some sort of next step with the young man she cared about. All because she had been nervous. In the end they had gone nowhere and done nothing.

Well, that wasn't exactly true. She _had_ done something.

"You didn't ruin anything," he countered. He scratched his face as he thought about his next words. "Last night may have been... interesting. But I got to spend it with you. And that's what we'd planned all along, right?"

 _That wasn't all I had planned,_ her mind thought bitterly. She shook the thought away. "It shouldn't have been about you putting up with me though," she argued. "It should have been fun for both of us."

"Who says I didn't have fun?"

The words gave Weiss pause. How could he possibly have had fun with how she must have acted last night? How could he possibly be having any kind of good time today having to take care of her pukey self?

"I mean, you were saying some pretty funny stuff last night," he continued. "It was a side of you I'd never seen before."

That seemed to be the ongoing theme in their relationship. Even when said relationship was simply as student and teacher, he had always been able to get some sort of reaction out of her. He had always been able to see sides of her which she kept hidden from others. The previous night was no exception.

"And..." he said before trailing off. His head turned to the side, as if he was too embarrassed to look at her as he spoke. "In the end, I got to... to watch you fall asleep in my arms. I couldn't have asked for a better night than that."

Weiss felt a lump in her throat as she too was forced to look away. She had vague memories of that too. Memories of music playing in the distance as he stroked her hair. The feeling of total comfort and warmth as she squeezed her arms around his torso like a giant stuffed animal. As his own strong arms held her close against him. Perhaps the night had not been such a disaster after all. She just wished she could remember it as clearly as he did.

"That was nice..." she spoke softly.

"It was."

Her tongue poked out to wet lips which had suddenly gone dry. Weiss could feel how her heart rate had increased as she thought and spoke of their time together. She thought about how she had liked it. How she enjoyed his touch. How she wanted to feel it once again.

Pale blue eyes remained locked on the bubbles which surrounded her. "Jaune."

"Yeah?"

"I have to wash my hair."

Despite the fact that it had been wetted, she wanted to give her long hair a nice and thorough cleansing. She wanted absolutely no trace of her sickness to remain in it.

"Oh, sure," he said as he started to turn back towards the door. "I'll, uh, get out of your hair then."

Maybe she had been living with Yang for too long, but Weiss' eyes narrowed. She couldn't help but feel as if that was some sort of intentional pun. In the end it didn't matter. Him leaving wasn't the outcome that she was looking for.

She had wanted to... do more things with him. She wanted to feel his touch again. Maybe now was as good of a time as any.

"No," she said, stopping him in his tracks. She swallowed again as she summoned up the courage to speak her next words. "Can you... wash it for me?"

Jaune's eyes widened in surprise for a brief moment before returning to normal. "Like... with my hands?"

"Yes. With your hands." _Your large hands..._

"Sure..."

The boy rolled up his sleeves as he approached, and soon enough was on his knees beside the bathtub. He was inches away from her. Weiss could swear she could feel the heat radiating from his body, but perhaps that was her own body's reaction to the thoughts she was having right now.

Jaune grabbed one of the nearby bottles and held it up, silently asking for her approval. She nodded, confirming that his selection would do.

Those large, strong hands of his soon began to work their magic. Another scent began to mix in with the peppermint of the bubble bath mix, this time being vanilla. Weiss closed her eyes as she felt Jaune begin to lather and work the shampoo into her hair. It felt as though her scalp was being massaged as he worked, and she had to work hard to suppress a moan of pleasure from his touch.

It was delightful. Maybe not what she had been expecting or anticipating when she thought about becoming more intimate with her boyfriend. This was an entirely different kind of intimacy all together. It wasn't sexual, but it was still personal. There was a hint of the former still present, with her being in the bath, but in the end it was still just two people connecting. Two people sharing their trust with one another. Two people showing how much they cared for one another.

Weiss lifted her head again so that Jaune could reach the long portions of her hair which hung down into the tub. He lifted it all from the water as he continued to work the shampoo into it. To clean away the filth that she had gotten onto it, and in the process wash away the negativity of the previous evening.

She felt as though she was a princess being pampered by her handmaidens. Maybe if she was still in Atlas this would in fact be closer to the truth. However, here in Vale, here at Beacon, she had no such luxuries. She had no servants. She had no expectations. If she were a princess, then Jaune was her knight. What he was doing here was not done out of duty or obligation, but of his own free will.

The thought was a heartwarming one. Her eyes were still closed, enjoying the feeling of her boyfriend's touch as he worked. "Thank you," she whispered.

He didn't stop as he responded. "For what?"

"For taking care of me."

She heard him chuckle softly. "No need to thank me. I want to do this. I want you to be happy." His words warmed her more than she already was. She heard another small silent laugh slip through his nose. "Besides, you helped me back when we first started training. If you want this could make us even."

It seemed like all that was so long ago. It had only been a few months, but it felt much longer.

 _Make us even._

"Jaune," she said suddenly.

"Hmm?

Her eyes remained closed. "I grabbed your butt last night. Didn't I?"

In an instant the movements of his fingers stopped. Weiss' eyes opened, and she tilted her head slightly to get a look at his face. There was a hint of embarrassment as he looked away.

"Yeah," he confirmed. "I... I guess you did."

She knew it. She knew it hadn't been her imagination. It hadn't been some weird dream. She had done it, and she had done it because she had wanted to. That wasn't fair to him. She wanted to make things even with him too.

"If you'd like... you could touch mine," she said uneasily. "Just so we're even," she hurriedly added.

His hands remained still on her head and hair in mid-shampooing. How would he react to those words?

As it turned out, it was in a way she had not been expecting. "No."

Her head turned more forcefully this time. So much so that Jaune's hands recoiled from her and back to his body. Her next words came out far worse than she had intended. "Why not?"

She had not meant to sound so eager. So disappointed. However the fact that her boyfriend did not want to have that kind of physical contact with her was in fact disappointing. A blow to her womanly pride, even.

Somehow though, that fool managed to not only save himself, but come out looking like a gentleman as well. "Because... we don't have to be even. I don't want you to think you have to give me something because of it. I want us to do things because we both want to."

Oh. Well... well that changed everything. Since when had he gotten so charming?

What Jaune didn't know was that she felt the same way. She wanted more from their relationship as well. She wanted it not to get even. Not because she felt obligated to make their relationship more physical. But because she wanted it.

Weiss felt herself sink deeper into the water so that her mouth nearly touched the surface of it. "But... I do want to..." she mumbled into the bathwater.

"What?"

"I said that... I want to do things with you... private things..." Weiss' cheeks went red as she admired her desire.

A quick glance over to Jaune showed how he had gone red as well. His skin stood out in stark contrast to the bright white of his shirt.

"Oh," was all he managed to say in response.

"Oh?" she asked him. "Is that all you have to say?"

"Well... I don't exactly know how to say what I want to say." He scooped up a bit of foam on one of his fingers. "But I think Nora might actually have the right idea."

Weiss shot him a confused look. "Nora?"

Jaune nodded. With a finger full of suds, he gently pressed it against the tip of her nose. "Boop."

Her nose wrinkled at the touch, tickled by the bubbles now coating it. At the same time her whole face scrunched up in confusion. "Boop? What's that supposed to mean?"

"I'll tell you one day, Weiss."

Her eyes narrowed in suspicion. "You don't know what it means either, do you." A shrug of his shoulders proved her correct. "Idiot," she said, trying to hide her smirk in the bubbles.

"How about it means... I'd like to do those things with you too." A smirk began to grow on his lips. "Because I _like-like_ you too."

His initial statement, his agreement with her feelings, was overshadowed by the words he emphasized afterward. "Like-like?" she questioned. "What are we? Chil...dren..."

Another memory came flooding back into her mind. One just prior to when she had fallen asleep. She had said those words last night. She had all but confessed her feelings to him in the most juvenile way possible.

A glance over to Jaune saw his smirk grow into a full blown grin when he knew the realization had hit her. A stupid grin from a stupid boy. "Don't worry, Weiss," he said through that stupid smile of his. "It'll be our little secret. Just like the secret of how you drooled all over my chest last night."

She wished that he had been speaking metaphorically. However in her inebriated state, she did not doubt the truth of his words. The utter embarrassment of it all made her hide even further down into the bathwater.

"I hate you," she said, her words the most unconvincing lie she had ever told in her life.

She felt him reach over to place a soft kiss atop her head. "I love you too."

Her heart skipped a beat.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** The conclusion of the Dance Omake Duology. More fluff. More happiness. Yay for happiness? I hope you liked it. Now for something... different.

Back in chapter 28 I had mentioned a special bonus coming up. Here it is. A special omake written by the indomitable Constable Paperbag. You may know him for such brilliant stories such as Pandora's Book or Meet the Family. If you haven't already checked out his work, do so. It's great.

So yeah, I hope you enjoy this omake of an omake. Its intent is pure crack comedy. Not canon to the rest of Letters to Winter, just a little bit of fun.

Omake by: Constable Paperbag

Address all hate mail to: Constable Paperbag

Refer all death threats to: Constable Paperbag

* * *

 _Dear Winter,_

 _This is the hardest thing I've ever had to write. Not because the emotional weight of what I'm writing is too much for me to bare, but because I'm eating a kebab whilst writing this. Apologies for any stains that get on the paper. Chicken grease is hard to lick off._

 _I have to say, coming to Beacon has been kickass, which means stupendous in peasant talk. Studying in Vale has really broadened my mind, and I have learned things here that I never would have learned back in Atlas. Except maybe how to treat your faunus underlings. I say this because I recently met my team leader's dog, and am now interested in having a pet of my own. I've even bought my own leash and collar in preparation._

 _Regardless of that, Beacon has taught me a great many things. I have learned so much in the ways of teamwork, friendship, but most importantly, love._

 _Oh, and sex. Yes, there have been plenty of lessons in sex, which is kinda the point of this letter._

 _As you know, I have recently laid claim of Jaune Arc as my boyfriend. It is funny how life works. If someone told me a few months ago that one day Jaune Arc of all people would be the love of my life, I'd have paid our family's assassin - er, correction officer - to eliminate them and then myself. I wouldn't be able to live with such a grotesque image in my mind._

 _But here we are. Jaune is now the love of my life, and I've never been happier. He's all I think about these days. When I close my eyes, all I can see is his beautiful yellow hair and gorgeous blue eyes. I sometimes find myself writing his name unconsciously in my notebook, or even on the walls of my room. Did you know this is my sixteenth attempt in writing this letter? The other fifteen are just pieces of paper with his name repeated hundreds of times. Since it's his name though, I hardly call it a waste of dead trees._

 _So yes, things between me and Jaune have been hunky-dory. Perfect even. I have enough happy memories of him to warrant a sequel, but there is one particular memory that stands out in my mind. It all started when Yang invited our team to go to a working-class ballroom that she called a 'club'. She said it was a place of dancing, drinking, and other forms of merriment._

 _I had never been to a club before, so my interest was piqued. Even though I had already accepted her offer, Yang suggested extending the invitation to Team JNPR as well. None of us had any objections, and when we asked if they wanted to accompany us, they all agreed._

 _I was incredibly excited. Not only would I be going to a club for the first time, I would be going with my friends and my star-crossed lover. It was to be the perfect night._

 _And it was. I wore my fanciest ball gown despite Yang's warnings, saying how by wearing it I was going to be "taken for all I have". Silly girl. I already have everything. Any fool trying to rob me would need some mighty big pockets. I believe she was simply jealous that my outfit blew hers out of the water. With all that brown and yellow, she looked like a walking banana with somehow even less personality._

 _Everyone else looked like a catwalk abomination as well. Well, except for Jaune. That casual outfit her was wearing made me want to gobble him up. I sometimes forget that when he's not wearing that ridiculous hoodie, he's got some delicious man meat hiding under there. Little did I know that I'd be having a full-course meal of it later that night._

 _Arriving to the club was an adventure in of itself. None of us can drive, and I have yet to be able to summon… well, summons, so I couldn't just make a chariot magically appear. Actually, that first part wasn't technically true as Yang can drive, but she can only drive a motorbike. It was a real predicament._

 _However, a good huntress is always ready to improvise, and so we did. Yang's bike can actually hold up to more than one person on it, so myself and the rest of our team rode on top of it. As for Jaune and his team, Yang was able to find Ruby's old wagon and squashed them inside it. She then tied it to the end of her bike and away we went._

 _I think Ren still has whiplash from the ride. Thank God Nora has a PhD, otherwise that might've been troubling._

 _When we got to the club, we were forced to wait outside with the rest of the party-goers. I've never had to wait for anything before and I wasn't about to start then, so I pushed past everyone to get to the entrance. Surprisingly, the people waiting in line didn't seem to appreciate this despite knowing who I was, and started to cause a fuss._

 _I was hardly about to succumb to peer pressure, so I volunteered to pay for everyone's drinks if my friends and I could get inside first. They simmered down after that and even started cheering. If there is one thing I've definitely learned at Beacon, it's social skills._

 _Oh, on a side note, I am currently broke due to having spent over three thousand lien on alcohol that night. If you could please send some of your money my way, that would be swell._

 _So we entered the club with next to no hassle. Ruby as it turns out was not old enough to enter, so we left her in the ballpit outside the club's entrance until we got back. The inside of the club was not what I was expecting. The parties I've grown accustomed to usually have waiters, ice-sculptures, and some guy playing a harp._

 _In the club however, there were none of those things. It was without a doubt one of the most oddest places I have ever been to in my life._

 _First of all, the dancing from everyone on the dancefloor was sloppy and uncoordinated. It looked like everyone was trying to slow dance, but the girls just couldn't seem to get it right. They didn't face their dance partners once, instead choosing to rub their buttocks against their groins without making eye-contact. It was rather disrespectful to the males who were grabbing their hips, desperately trying to get them to pay attention._

 _Second, the dress code was ridiculous. No one had any style to them, as they all wore simple jackets, jeans and trainers. Everyone looked the same. Literally, I saw two dark-haired girls who were near identical to each other. Perhaps everyone came there so often that they simply couldn't afford new clothes?_

 _The only people that wore anything that stood out a little was the staff, but that was only because they all wore bear heads over their faces. It was bizarre. I felt like I was seeing what Ruby saw during that time she got high on gummy bears._

 _Mind you, I suppose it was appropriate for the bartender to wear one, as the drinks he served made me bear-have like an animal._

 _That was a pun. Tai taught me many puns. You'd like him, he's funny._

 _At first I didn't feel like dancing. Everything was too bright, too loud, and the lights would occasionally flash wildly. It was like I was living inside an ambulance light. That all changed when Yang suggested we all did 'shots'. When she said that, I thought she was going to shoot up the place again, but then she gave us some small glasses with drinks in them. It smelt odd, but one sip from it changed my whole night._

 _One drink became two. Then four. Then thirty? I dunno, it was hard to keep track at that point. Whatever the number, it made me feel alive and free. The whole world became a blur, yet in that moment everything was made clear to me._

 _I was a woman. I was independent. I was free to do whatever I wanted. The drink sparked a flame inside me that shall never waver. Free of Father's clutches, I could now seize my life with my own two hands._

 _Needless to say, the club just couldn't handle me._

 _It started with me overpowering the DJ and replacing his playlist with my songs. If these people wanted music, I would give them music. Then came more drinks. As a joke, I started lacing each one with a little bit of fire dust. The look on everyone's faces was priceless. Blake practically shot through the roof and steam came out of all four of her ears. They should've thanked me, as I gave that piss-water the kick it needed._

 _Finally it was time to do what we all came to the club for - dance until we dropped. Well, Ren and Pyrrha had already dropped after drinking my little concoction, but the rest were still able and somewhat willing. Jaune was still on his feet, and I was not about to let my man leave me un-danced. I dragged his exquisite form to the dancefloor and showed these neanderthals what real dancing is._

 _I must confess, I did try waltzing with him, but the drinks impaired my footwork a bit. And by a bit, I mean I climbed up him and sat on his shoulders, basically forcing him to give me a piggyback ride. He had some complaints, but I just poured more drinks down his throat. After about five more bottles, he became almost as lively as me. I was still the heart of the party, but he made a great steed to ride._

 _I don't remember much about the club after that. I remember pretending to be a wizard by making everyone float with my glyphs, and I believe that Jaune unlocked his semblance at one point. It had something to do with shooting lasers out of his eyes, or something along those lines._

 _I do remember confessing my love to him, though. I stood up on the balcony, grabbed a megaphone from the supply closet and shouted, "Jaune Arc is a dream machine and I love him with all my heart!"_

 _I wouldn't necessarily say we got kicked out of the club, but we were recommended to leave by the staff. That was fine, because I was done there anyway. I forgot to collect Ruby when we left - something she still hasn't forgiven me for, by the way - but my mind was elsewhere at the time._

 _I had such a fun time at the club with Jaune and I didn't want the night to end there. I had all this energy inside me that needed to be unleashed. Only he with his perfect body would be able to handle it._

 _And so it was that I snuck away from the rest of the group with him in tow. We were standing outside the ER ward because Yang needed urgent medical attention after leaving the club. Someone had spilt vodka in her hair, and she was going into relapse. When no one was looking I grabbed Jaune by the hand and we left for the nearest love hotel._

 _I had always been prepared for the day Jaune and I would eventually have intercourse. I knew we would never have it in one of our team's dorms, which is why I took the liberty of scouting out love hotels for when the promised day finally arrived. The closest and most luxurious one I found was a place called the Slippery Noodle, which is where we went to that night._

 _Bursting through the front entrance, I told the stupid lady at the desk that me and my boyfriend would be spending the night there. She tried making us buy a room, but I wouldn't have it. I would not pay for pleasure like some two-bit harlot. I have standards, for God's sake. We went up to the penthouse suite, and there was another couple already in there. I used my glyphs to throw them out the window and locked the door behind us._

 _This was it. The moment I had been waiting for. I had the love of my life alone in a bedroom that, due to the previous couple, was rich with the salty smell of love. Everything was perfect. I leaned up to kiss him, ready to taste the dashing knight that I had claimed as my own._

 _And I would've kissed him right there, had I not quickly rushed to the toilet to vomit. Inevitable in retrospect, but still, my timing could've been better._

 _After spewing out a swamp in the toilet, I quickly swallowed one of the complimentary mints and kissed him for all he was worth. He tasted fine wine and dark chocolate. I probably tasted like vomit and cheap booze but that was okay, because love knows no flavour except passion. And it was passionate. My tongue might as well have been digging for buried treasure in his mouth._

 _It was wonderful, but nothing new. As much as I enjoy kissing him, I've become very familiar with his mouth. I wanted something more that night. I made my intentions clear when I ripped off my dress. My body burned with the flames of lust like some kind of horny candle. His clothes came off shortly after mine, and the two of us headed for the bed._

 _I hadn't even touched him downstairs at this point, yet Jaune was already harder than Father's heart. Why, it nearly poked my eye out when I revealed it. It was so large that I'd probably get a matching scar on my other eye had it hit me. My mind and body didn't have the patience for any kind of foreplay. I had to have him inside of me._

 _Now I know what your thinking, but don't worry - we did use protection. Whilst I do plan to carry his child one day, I was not so foolish to go in without a condom during our first time. That's why I made sure to remove the one the previous man had been using, before I threw him and his wench out the window. As I said, safety first._

 _The second I got it on, I practically threw myself on top of it. For a minute I thought he was going to tear me in half, but the pain quickly gave way to pleasure. Oh heavens, it was incredible. It was all I wanted to do for the rest of my life. The company, the family name, being a huntress, none of that mattered during that moment. Jaune's wonder-stick helped me forget all my worries and doubts._

 _The night was nothing short of magical. We may not have known much in the ways of sex, but we were experts when it came to love. Whilst I grinded against him, he grabbed my totally normal-sized breasts. I moaned his name more times than Ms Goodwitch whenever he got destroyed in combat class. The bed actually broke from the intensity of our movements, so I had to use glyphs to keep it supported._

 _It didn't take long for him and myself to climax, but I wasn't done there. We flipped positions so that he was on top of me this time. I didn't think I'd like being controlled ever since my time in Atlas, but as soon as Jaune took the reigns I found myself developing a fondness for it. The way he rammed into me with reckless abandon was simply exhilarating. He could've asked me to hand over the company to him and I would've complied, I was so subservient. As long as he kept giving me more penis, I'd be satisfied._

 _I did get a little worried when he told me how tight I was, however. At first I thought he was referring to my reputation at Beacon. I know I can be a little uptight when it comes things like that, but tonight I thought I was being looser than his shoelaces. My fears were put at ease however, when he told me being tight was a good thing. It was wonderful to hear, but I do wonder where I acquired that skill from._

 _The next time you visit, dear sister, do you mind teaching me lessons in tightness? Like, how tight is too tight, or how to make yourself even tighter? You're always so knowledgeable, so I think your expertise would greatly benefit our love-making activities._

 _After he was done flopping on top of me, we decided to get even more experimental. The room that I had selected had a balcony, giving us an excellent view of all of Vale. I felt the need to send a message to the city. A message that Weiss Schnee was happy and in love. That stunt I pulled in the club was effective, but it was just words. People respect action over words any day._

 _We waddled over to the balcony and Jaune entered me from behind. There we were, rutting like beasts out in the open for the whole world to see. In fact, I think several people did see, but they quickly averted their eyes or pulled down their blinds. I would not let the truth be silent though, so I got my scroll out and recorded the two of us in the act. I suspect the video might be all over the CCTnet by now. If it is, I hope Father sees it._

 _After several minutes of this, he finally finished all over me. I remember thinking the sight of his climax looked like what happens when Mother pops the cork on one of her champagne bottles. We finished the night cuddling each other and watching repeats of our video over and over. I fell asleep to the sounds of him slapping against my rear._

 _When I awoke the next morning, I felt like a changed woman. The pressures of losing one's virginity never concerned me, but I was proud to have finally plucked that rose with none other than the love of my life. I felt absolutely glorious upon awakening, but hungry. Hungry for more of him and his love. Let's just say, we didn't leave the hotel for another ten hours that day._

 _Good heavens, this letter certainly has gone on for a while, hasn't it? I should probably stop things here before my carpal tunnel kicks in. Oh yes, I forgot to mention that my hand has been seizing up a lot these days, which is why I haven't been sending as many letters due to cramps. I'm afraid jerking off your boyfriend three times a day tends to do that to someone._

 _Well then, I won't detain you from your duties any longer, so I'll end things here with a final message. As much as I applaud myself for sealing the deal with him, none of this would've happened without you, Winter. At the end of the day, this is all because of you._

 _I dare say you raised me better than both Mother and Father combined. Whenever I needed guidance, you were always there to support me. Your knowledge helped shaped me into the person I am today, and this relationship I have with Jaune is just one of many examples of your excellence._

 _Before you arrived I was uncertain of myself, confused as to what I wanted from him. I never would have made any progress by myself. But as always, your wisdom shone like a light in the darkness and showed me the path I wanted to take. Jaune was out of my reach before you guided my hand. And now he is by my side. Together we will take Remnant by storm in holy matrimony._

 _And we never could have done this without you, Winter. From now on, every time we annihilate a bedroom with our love, we will do so in your honour. And so I end this letter with these final words._

 _Thank you, Winter. Thank you for making me this way._

 _Love,_

 _Weiss_

* * *

"Specialist Schnee on the bridge!"

The soldiers in her company all stood at attention before her. She could feel the fear in their eyes as they looked up at her with a frightened sense of duty. Good. If she could inspire fear amongst her own men, then she was capable of doing it to her enemies too. And her enemies had a lot to fear today.

She walked along the bridge in a calculated manner, barely paying any attention to the soldiers saluting her. Her cold-blue eyes were locked on the building coming into view.

Beacon Academy…

Her form remained calm and collected, yet her mind was a storm of emotions. The only evidence that she was feeling anything was from a slight tremble in her fingers when her hand occasionally reached for the hip flask by her side. If anyone was wondering why their commander was drinking on duty, they didn't dare ask.

The closer Beacon came into view from the great Atlesian airship that they were all currently boarded on, the more she felt her blood pressure rising. Years of discipline and a little bit of alcohol was the only thing preventing her from lashing out. To an outsider, Beacon Academy looked like a pristine-looking school that helped shaped the futures of many aspiring hunters.

To her, all she saw was rubble. Stinking, smoky rubble that would never again rise from its ashes. And soon the entire world would share her vision.

"All troops, prepare to engage!" she called out. "Ready the artillery. You will fire on my command."

Everyone saluted and gave her a 'yes, ma'am', even if they didn't understand the purpose of this engagement. That was fine, for it wasn't their place to know. All that mattered was her duty and the debt that not just Beacon, but all of Vale owed her.

Weiss' most recent letter to her had been… troubling to say the least. She had almost thought it was a prank from one of her teammates, but the handwriting was too exact to be forgery. That discovery lead to a few sleepless nights, many drinking sessions with a certain expert in all things alcohol, and a brand new exercise routine that involved smashing her head against a wall.

But it was through that dark period that she discovered the answer to her problem. Her rank in the Atlas military had many perks, such as having her own personal airship and crew under her command. Today was a perfect day to exercise those privileges.

"Specialist Schnee, the troops are in position," said the officer beside her. "We await your command."

"Good." Her eyes never looked at him as she spoke, as they were still locked on the view in front of her. She smiled in a way that sent the officer shaking in his boots. Beacon Academy had such a lovely design. Whoever had built it had done so out of love and passion.

But would they be able to stand against the might of an A class Atlesian warhead? A question that was soon to be answered.

"Um, ma'am," the officer coughed nervously. "Perhaps we should give the residents time to evacuate? I can send out a message on the loudspeaker warning them-"

"There's no need," she said. They had already broken countless military codes by breaching Vale's airspace with such firepower without permission. What difference would breaking another one make? "Continue your duties. On my word, purify the land."

"B-But, ma'am, your sister might still be inside the building. Don't you want her safe?"

Winter closed her eyes. Memories of Weiss played in her mind; a picnic in the Schnee mansion's garden. A study session in the grand library. A heartfelt reunion at Beacon Academy, seeing her little sister grow into a strong and capable girl…

… a horrifying letter laid open on her desk. A sickening sense of dread as she wondered where she went wrong. An image of an innocent and pure girl shattering before her eyes. A wallowing pit of despair as she realized that this was the end.

 _Thank you, Winter. Thank you for making me this way._

"I have no sister," she whispered. She opened her eyes and faced the officer with a soul-piercing gaze. "You may fire when ready."

"Y-Yes, ma'am," he stammered before heading off to his station. Winter remained where she was, the view from the airship giving her a perfect view of what was about to happen. Her eyes followed the missiles that gradually fell to the earth. She almost wished she had arrived down earlier to kill that wretch of a man Jaune Arc herself, but this was the next best alternative.

Her eyes glowed from the explosion below her. They had hit the school with enough firepower to completely obliterate any trace of it from existence. Oh, the explosion was beautiful. It was like a great big ball of flaming purity, ready to cleanse the world with its fires. It was enough to get even someone like her a little excited.

"Direct hit!" the officer called out. "Target has been eliminated!"

Winter gave a quick silent prayer to her fallen sister. Her sacrifice would not be in vain. Her duty was as clear as day to her now. Vale was diseased, and she was the cure. They would undoubtedly face opposition along the way, but it was a battle worth fighting. She swore on what remained of her sister's honour that she would bring Vale to justice.

They took her sister from here.

Now she would take everything from them.

"Very good," she said. "Our work here is done. Set our course back to Atlas." She grinned wickedly as she stared at the flames rising into the sky. A symbol for what was about to follow. "We have a war to prepare for…"

* * *

 **Author's Note:** I don't know about you, but I loved it. Then again I have a twisted sense of humor.

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this special, non-canon to the story omake. I know I did. My thanks go out to Constable Paperbag for taking the time to write it. Go read his stuff.

With that being said, I think I will officially draw this story to a close. Rather than keep adding on and prolonging the story, if I have any more omakes I can always start a companion story containing them. They could be one-shots, two-shots, funny, romantic, dramatic, etc. All sorts of moments.

As always, I thank everyone for your support and loyal readership. I hope you all enjoyed every part of this tale.


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